A boy called desire
by Anduir
Summary: One day, you have to defeat the demon inside you or never return to Konoha, and when you come back you will be scarred by living alone. United with friends and bearing a heavy secret, Naruto finds friendship, love and strength to fight himself.
1. Default Chapter

Author: Silver Side Sonic

Warnings: for today, none. He he, don't be afraid though. There will be some yaoi later on (meaning boy's love people, homo things, gay things, not your kind of story? Then don't read, I just warned ya.)

Pairings: hints of Sakura and Naruto. Very very light hints. Just this chapter, no worries.

Category: OOC? Please tell me if its so. I desperately try not to go OOC but I can't see very clear if I did or not. Not a one-shot.

Setting: About four years after where the manga/anime is at the moment.

Ohayo! Silver Side here!

One day, I got this phrase in my head, 'a boy called desire' and I had just written a super-dark and a super-fluffy Naruto fanfic. Two semi-oneshots and it was about damn time that I started to write something longer and with a good plot in it. Maybe the subject I used is a little chewed down but I hope it makes a nice fic to read anyway. In the upcoming chapters there will be angst, some fluff, some smut at least. Who the pairings are? Well, you can probably guess one already, but the others remain a secret untill the next chapters come out so you can read it at the Pairings section I will put up above every chapter.

Other than that, I had a really tough time keeping everyone in character even though they have aged four years. But it was damn fun to do that anyway, so I would be especially happy if people indeed think that I kept them in character well enough. (this implies, give feedback and review people ;;)

Then on a last note, I hate unfinished business. I have often stumbled upon fics that I loaded to read at my internet-less computer only to find out that a great fic only was a part one with so much capabilities to turn into a great long fic. So, as we speak, I have finished 62 pages of this fic already, consisting of ten chapters so far. And maybe to your delight or dismay, I'm only getting started. So the beginning chapters might seem a little slow at first, but don't worry. In a few chapters (only two or three) things will become a rush so please keep on reading .

One warning left: I don't have a beta. So forgive me if there are any spelling mistakes (which must be a terrible lot.. --;;) or form errors. That also has to do with the fact that my natural language isn't english but dutch. And no matter how hard I study on it, I will never become as sophisticated or good with my words as most of the authors here are. Demo na, I'm hoping that you can understand what I was trying to say in the fic anyway.

Have fun! And thanks for reading! If you can, please leave some feedback for me so I can adjust my mistakes or adapt my story.

To Shinkou, my wonderful Naruto-crazed yaoi koi 3.

_Chapter one: Conquest_

"You see Naruto, its only best for you... the Kyuubi is.. so now.." Naruto heard only half of Tsunade Hokage-sama's words.

The summer was at its peak and he could hear the kids playing in the river nearby. How he wanted to be in that same cold water stream, cooling down after the heat of the midst of the day. But there was one place he even wanted to be more at than even the most refreshing water on the planet.

He looked down the window, where Sakura was. He had heard her voice and was immediately distracted from the meeting. He was a chuunin now and was called to Tsunade for a mission. He smiled. Four years had passed and his feelings were still the same for the pink-haired girl. His heart still jumped as soon as he saw her or heard her voice. Nothing had happened between them ever since, and to be honoust, it actually had worsened over time. And he knew just the reason for that.

"You are late! Come on, before the kids take up all the space!" She squeeled, pulling the pale hand of someone standing outside his view.

Sasuke. He reluctantly let himself be dragged by her to the river, dressed in just black shorts and a black tank, a large white towel rolled up underneath his arms. On his pale skin were two bright red cuts. Naruto knew that he had just returned from a mission, got bruised, and now he had been given a few days of rest. He clenched his hands when he thought about how Sakura had jumped him the second he set foot in the village again. Lucky bastard. She was always drooling over him, squeeling like a rabid fangirl and trying to get his attention in any way possible. Even if meant squeezing herself in the tiniest pink little skirt and top she could find in the village.

'I hope he gets sunburned..' He softly muttered to himself, knowing that would happen very fast with that extremely white skin of his. Somehow Orochimaru also had a grip on his outside appearance, as well as his inner self.

"Naruto!" Tsunade shouted so loud at him that it brought him back to reality painfully quick. He took one glance at Sakura and a glare at Sasuke before he turned around to apologize to the current Hokage.

Why was Sakura always hanging over that guy..

"I'm sorry." He said quickly.

"Pay attention will you.. This is important."

Naruto sighed.

"I'm listening ba-san."

Ignoring the insult, Tsunade continued her story.

"You are going out of control Naruto. You destroyed half of the village that hired you for protection on your last mission."

"I didn't know the enemy ninja's could do summoning no jutsu too.."

"Then on another mission.. You dropped the load in the ocean while you were supposed to bring it to a town nearby.."

"You can't expect me to fight 4 shinobi's with my hands holding that bag to my chest!"

Tsunade waved it away.

"Then you did missions and completed half of them because your mind was somewhere else, then we have the fact that your jutsu's are so powerful that once you pull one people have to run for their lives."

Naruto ignored her. What was her point anyway?

"Dammit Naruto...", she groaned and slid a hand through her hair to stop it from falling in front of her face. "Four years ago, everyone in this village was scared because you had the nine-tails in your body. But as soon as people started liking you because you did great missions and even saved the village, it all started to go wrong again. We thought that we could make you use the kyuubi instead of it using you and making everyone fear you."

Jiraiya and Kakashi, who were standing a little further away, both nodded. For once, Kakashi had put his book away and Jiraiya his notebook. They would make a great team if they worked together on those books, Naruto thought.

"Now however,' she continued. "People give us a mission and as soon as we mention your name they panic and demand another shinobi or their money back. Only because they just know that something is bound to go wrong if we send Naruto to it. They know and we know that you are extremely strong.."

"Then why am I not a jounin yet then eh?" Naruto growled. He now knew why they had kept him around the village for the past few weeks. Well if he was that strong, why was he still a chuunin while Sasuke was already training for the jounin exam?

"That is the reason you are here now dammit!" Stunade yelled at him, losing her temper. "You are too strong and uncontrolled! People are starting to fear you again and I know you don't want that! And to top that, you are costing the village a fortune because everyone runs to another country for good ninja's! So shut up and listen!"

Naruto fell silent and looked to the ground. He felt too tired, too hot and too annoyed to reply to her.

"So here's what you are going to do. Train."

"Train?" He looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. He had trained all his life! And wasn't battle the best way to train?

"Yes, train. You are going away for a couple of weeks and find a way to get control of your powers and you won't be coming back before you know how. The last thing we need now is a chuunin with a short temper and powers that go out of control as soon as he gets serious."

"So who's going to train me?" He replied shortly. Training.. oh man..

"Nobody." Came the low voice of Kakashi sensei. "You know this demon best. So it's up to you to figure out how to get control over it. Jiraiya, Ebisu and myself are of no use if one of us would come along."

Naruto fell silent. Somewhere he had known it all along. He had loved the awesome power the kyuubi gave him and craved it every time his adrenaline level shot up, the power being too addicting to resist anymore. Every time he activated it, it made him feel so powerful that he knew he could beat anyone around him, not caring anymore what he destroyed with it. To be honest, it just felt plain..

"Besides that, you could kill us." Kakashi said simply.

Naruto twitched. Kakashi looked at him for a second and fished his book out of his pouch.

"Anyway, good luck and don't get killed." He said without any emotion and left the room, leaving a flaming mad Naruto behind and a chuckling Tsunade and Jiraiya.

Naruto glared at them.

"He is right you know." Jiraiya snickered. "Oh don't worry. Just go train and find control again. Somewhere far far away from here."

"Very far away." Tsunade added.

"I can't believe you guys.." Naruto muttered. They were letting him down! On the other hand.. He would train on his own, all alone. No perv-sennin, no Kakashi, no Sasuke watching his back, nothing! All alone! He could do whatever he wanted!

Tsunade regained control of herself. "Just do your best and don't get taken over by the power. Take all the time you want to get good control of it too. We know how much you want it, but you have to get that power under control yourself instead of letting yourself be controlled by it. Now then."

Naruto nodded. She was right. His skills would improve many-fold if he could use it controlled. Without even thinking, he grinned. It hit him like a brick, a nice thick brick. Everything came rushing into his mind even more, finally! After all these years, he would actually have a chance to just blow that ass Sasuke to bits. All these years it was like seeing Gai and Kakashi fight, all the time he was either barely above or below Sasuke. Mostly the latter, he admitted. The fights that had looked good had always been ended prematurely. This time it would be diffirent, it had to be diffirent. This time, after he gained control, he would simply overpower him. Sasuke wouldnt stand a chance.

Oh yeah. This wasn't so bad at all.

"See ya in a couple of days old lady!" He shouted and ran out of the room. No matter how old he got, he still remained the loud-mouthed ninja they always knew, still a kid deep inside his almost adult body. Jiraiya grinned. He reminded him a lot of when he was young, brash and stupid. He saw his own youth pass by in the image of Naruto. The fights with Orochimaru, their training, the betrayal.. The old man knew that he too would have done anything to become better than Orochimaru, just as Naruto tried to surpass Sasuke. Perhaps he was already much stronger than him, it was just a matter of time before Naruto would figure that out himself.

Naruto jumped down the balcony outside to the streets and started running to his house, not knowing that Tsunade had frowned and muttered, "Better make it months.."

Jiraiya turned around to face her.

"He'll do just fine."

"I hope so."

"I know so Tsunade. He won't break that easily. Besides, he has something to fight for, a very good reason to get control of the demon. He'll be fine." He smiled at her, trying to appear confident enough to take her worries away. If they lost Naruto already, they would lose a great asset to the village even before people knew it.

She sighed and turned towards her paperwork again.

"We'll only know that if he comes back. Alive."

Naruto couldn't smile any harder than he did right now. He would master that strength and finally beat the crap out of Sasuke. The jerk had first ignored him like everyone else. Funny.. come to think of it, even when he did find out about the Kyuubi, he still ignored him, but he hadn't been disgusted of it or had utterly hated him like the rest of village did.. Then he had been afraid that he would be overpowered by Naruto. Then he tried to find some new source of power as well. It repeated itself over and over again. The only diffirence was that now Naruto had an endless supply of power, even though he couldn't control at all, and Sasuke was only improving slowly, trying his hardest to tap a new powersource.

This time, it would all be diffirent. This time, Naruto would become so powerfull and skilled that he now finally would have the edge in the next time they fought. Sasuke might be training for the jounin exam, he would simply blast all the contestants away. Kakashi would see how great he was, Sasuke would be defeated and he would be the brand new jounin of the village. Heck! If they saw how powerful he was, maybe they would even shove that ba-san Tsunade away and make him Hokage instead.

Every fiber in his body became excited now. What if this would happen, what if that would happen. His imagination ran wild of ideas on how to make everyone finally see him for the great ninja that he was. It finally started to slow down and stop at a certain point in his mind, a single word that meant more than anything.

Sakura.

Perhaps if she noticed him being stronger than that jerk Sasuke, she would drop him and go out with him instead. Heh, he grinned, I could even do that idiot a favour in the process. I can go out with Sakura and he can be free to do whatever he wanted now. Trying to become stronger than me for instance, he thought. Sakura would be so thrilled to see him.

He quickly flung his packed bag over his shoulder and looked around the room to see if he hadnt forgotten anything. He wondered if he should take his favorite scrolls with him, or some more ramen. Somehow it suddenly seemed hard to leave this familiar place. Sure he had been away before on missions, but this was somewhat diffirent, disturbing even. It felt as if he wouldnt return here. It didn't feel like he was going to die, but more like this would be the last time he saw his house through these eyes. For all he knew, maybe next time, it would be the kyuubi who would see it, if he would finally take over his mind.

This wasn't going to be fun. This wasn't going to be easy. He was going to have to give everything he had to finally take control over the demon or it would take control over himself.

From outside he heard people talking on the streets, laughing in small groups on their rooftops, enjoying the hot summer dusk and the squeels of children in the river next to the village. Concentrating on the sounds, he could hear Ino scream to someone and Lee shouting as he practised his movements on the rocks. Then he heard Sakura giggle, followed by what sounded like Sasuke's low laugh.

Without even turning to take a last look at his room or the river nearby, he ran out of his room into the forest, determined to not return before he had everything under control, no matter how long it would take.

After a few days, nobody had noticed that he had gone missing. The heat continued to rage on, only broken by one or two little thunderstorms. But it being summer at its peak, it hardly made a diffirence to the weather during the day. Maybe only Hinata wondered where Naruto was, expecting him to join the others of their class at the river during the afternoon, when it was almost too hot to stay around the house. Even she and Neji, with their sensitive pale skins, spent time there now, be it almost only in the shade.

After two weeks, people slowly started to wonder where the loud-mouthed young blonde went.

Sasuke was one of the first to wonder about it. Naruto was always around him in some way or another, buggering him to prove he was stronger, yelling at him or somtimes simply because Sakura went everywhere he went. And of course, there would be Naruto too. Wanting to know where he was without arousing any suspicion and damaging his pride by asking about him, he searched around the village for Kakashi or even Jiraiya. But neither ninja's couldn't or wouldnt want to tell where he was.

Finally Tsunade said he was away on a mission and that she was too busy to deal with his whereabouts now. Sasuke had frowned upon her answer but hadnt asked anyfurther, he himself had a mission of his own to do. Naruto would have to wait for later or he would just show up eventually.

One month later, even Sakura became worried about him. No matter how much she hated that he followed her around like a little dog, she kind of missed his laughter and his pranks. It was always nice and busy when he was around and for some reason, nobody was ever really down when he was near. Even Sasuke didn't seem that interesting anymore since he had gotten down as well now that Naruto wasn't around anymore. She knew he somehow enjoyed teasing Naruto all the time and she enjoyed putting him down as well, just because they were friends and they could do that to eachother. Somehow, it was as if something was missing and even though they both hated to admit it, they missed Naruto. Neither did ever admit it it to anyone, not even themselves.

Four months later, there still wasn't any sign of him. Hot summer had turned into chilly and windy November and the trees were losing their foliage.

Slowly, Sasuke had begun to focus only on training for the upcoming Jounin exam so he repressed any thoughts about Naruto and Sakura, or anyone else for that matter. The only thing that mattered now is do as many high-ranked missions as he could and then train some more so he could enter the exam.

To him, every thought of Naruto faded away in time. Some would say repressed, others would say denial, he himself would consider it natural. What did he have to do with the idiot anyway? What did he ever add to his life besides annoyance? Nothing.. Boring moron.

Sakura had missions of her own to do, so slowly every thought of Naruto or the group they once formed slowly melted away. It was only that Kakashi once in a while looked outside and wondered how his student was doing and even more, if he still was alive. Winter wasn't quite the right place to be stuck in when you are outside and he wondered if Naruto would be experienced enough to make it through. He had been trained in survival of course.. but what if he was wounded, unconscious, anything! He wouldnt survive in the cold unpredictable weather outside.

When the new year had started, Kakashi set out in search of Naruto, partially because Tsunade had asked him to do so, only to check if he was still alive and partially because he himself was worried if he was still alive.

The jounin exam had started and Sasuke had been doing pretty well so far. He had shown quite some talent in various techniques and he could think ahead like a chess-player, just what a jounin was all about. The sharingan had enabled him to copy and apply various techniques to jutsu's he already knew or he had developed. A truly talented sharingan user, was the last thing Kakashi had heard the judges say about him.

Something was off about the boy though. Even though he was strong, smart and had a good chance of becoming the new jounin of the village, he missed a certain spark, a certain fire was missing in his moves. He moved like a machine, tired almost and troubled about something.

Unable to pull any words out of them Kakashi kept an eye on the two, both having numbed a bit. But to the naked eye, nothing was wrong with them. Not at all. The only thing he could think of was that they both had started to act like this after Naruto had left and the team got broken up.

Once again searching the woods, Kakashi hoped that by finding Naruto, he could everyone make feel a bit better now that even Sakura didn't even try to fight Ino anymore and didn't bother with anything. Kakashi chuckled as he hopped from tree to tree, who would have known that that little despised brat had such a big impact in how everybody felt around him. But no matter how hard he looked, he never found him and the days kept on coming, nobody knowing what had happened to him.

Winter passed, spring and summer arrived, Sasuke passed his tests and became a jounin together with Lee, Sakura went in training with Tsunade to become a medical specialist, Kakashi did his missions and refused another team to train from the academy, still feeling he hadnt completed the training of his students. But it seemed that everyone went on with their lives as if they always had and slowly the gossip and speculations about their most notorious young ninja's whereabouts had begun to fade away. Only his friends thought about him once in a while and even then only when they saw a picture of him as a reminder that this person, this blonde cocky boy, was once a part of them.

So in time, he became a blurry image in everyone's mind and his voice faded away. Only to a very few he remained an image of someone lost, but not forgotten. Before they even realised it, two years had passed and life still went on as it always had.


	2. 2 Falling from the sky with broken wings

_Chapter two: Falling from the sky with broken wings_

Pairings: none yet. Will have shonen-ai and yaoi later on .

No warnings, no set category, but does have a plot. Oh just read okay? :3

summary untill now: Naruto has left Konoha to gain control over the Kyuubi and almost everyone has forgotten about him as two years had passed. Almost everyone, but not a few ninja's.

Second part! Please leave a review for me to learn from or to make me hate this fic forever or make me feel the best author in the world. grin

So in time, Naruto became a blurry image in everyone's mind and his voice faded away. Only to a very few he remained an image of someone lost, but not forgotten. Before they even realised it, two years had passed and life still went on as it always had.

"Hey.." Kakashi mumbled, turning around, greeting someone who he couldn't see but he could sense. He had felt like someone had been trailing him for a long while but he couldn't quite put his finger on who it was. The chakra-flow was diffirent somehow and apparently the person was extremely stealthy. He stayed focused on it, or at least tried to, thinking that it might be a hostile Anbu, out for information about the Hidden Village.

"I could never quite fool you for a long time could I.." Came a low voice from above.

Kakashi looked up to the roof above the small store he was standing in front of. There still wasn't anybody there and he almost jumped up there as he felt a little tap on the forehead protector he wore.

"Gotcha."

He looked at the person in front of him, almost as tall as he was, and he looked straight against a battered Konoha protector, dented and scratched as if it had been run over by a thousand horses and half covered by long, unruly bright blonde hair.

Six scars, looking quite like a set of whiskers were branded in the man's face and as the eyes looked at him, he noticed they were the brightest blue anyone had seen and only one person had had them.

"Naruto.."

He grinned and grabbed him by the shoulders, hugging the young ninja like a father would with his long lost son but to Kakashi, it felt like a forgotten best friend had returned to him.

"Hey hey.. not that tight sensei.." Naruto growled."I'm not quite healthy at the moment.." He added with a small chuckle.

Kakashi let go of him and let his eyes slid over the boy in front of him. Immediately he reset his mind and changed the boy part to that of young man. Naruto's face had tanned and grown, his jawline now very angular and his eyes slender, still colored the brightest of blues.His shoulders were broad now and he had grown incredibly over the two years he had been away. Two years, long years. His hands were no longer the small and slender tools of a ninja, but strong and deadly weapons. It was then that he noticed that his left arm was covered in small long green brownish leaves, smelling like blood. He looked up at Naruto who simply grinned. It was bent in an unnatural way as if it was broken, no, crushed by something.

"I broke it a couple of weeks ago. It just won't heal. So I thought I'd return to see what Tsunade could make of it."

Kakashi's eyes grew wide in shock. He had been walking around with a wound like that and he didn't even seem ill at all? How in the world was that possible..

"Two weeks? How..."

"Make that ten weeks sensei.." Naruto simply said, sliding his good hand through his now long hair to keep his almost white, sun-bleached hair away from his sweaty face.

Kakashi looked closer at his face and upon seeing no obvious sign of a fever that would signal an infected wound, he removed one of his gloves and softly placed his hand on Naruto's forehead. He pulled back almost immediately, his body instinctively reacting to the extreme heat that radiated from his skin. Without asking any questions he grabbed Naruto by his waist and disappeared with him only to reappear in Tsunade's office.

Tsunade almost choked on her coffee as she saw the two ninja's appear in front of her, one a familiar grey haired young man and the other one, a long-haired blonde with familiar bright blue eyes. She was about to scream in joy and hug the newcomer when she saw the look in Kakashi's eyes.

"Do the welcoming later Tsunade.." He began, but before he could finish his sentence, she had leapt over her desk and started to investigate the leafs around Naruto's arm. She jerked her hand back as she lightly touched the skin next to it.

"This isn't good.." She said, worry apparent on her face. Not even bothering to waste time on explaining what was wrong with him, she fumbled in her pocket and fished out a small bottle and a small white pill.

"This is some antibiotic medicine." She explained, holding out the white pill to Naruto."Swallow this and your fever will go down. I'll put some ointment on that wound to prepare it for surgery."

Naruto hesitated.

"What are you waiting for? Swallow it so we can get ready to fix that arm." She said annoyed, sliding her hands over his skin, trying to find where the fractures were precisely. She looked up, seeing that he still hadnt swallowed it. "What is it?"

"I don't have a fever, the wound is not infected, its just shattered and I can't fix that." He said without any emotions.

"But you are burning hot!" She shouted at him, not understanding anything about it. She indeed had felt a huge amount of bone fragments underneath his skin, so surgery was at least required and they had to bring his temperature down to minimalize the danger of complications afterwards and to slow down the flow of his blood.

"He doesn't have a fever." Kakashi said, noticing the way Naruto talked and how he moved. If he had a fever, he would have panted when he dropped out of his hiding to greet his sensei. He of all people knew that once you were sick, it was extremely tough to maintain a jutsu. Naruto would have dropped out of the trees seconds he would have entered the village if he was ill and not lay hidden for hours following his sensei like he had done. "Right Naruto? This heat isn't a fever."

"No. Its not.."

Tsunade crossed her arms, silently demanding an explanation. Naruto refused to say anything, or he just didn't pick up the signals she was sending. Finally, she audibly sighed and stood tall in front of him.

"Listen. If you want that healed, I need to know everything so spit it out. I am not going to fix something unnatural here, so cough it up."

Naruto looked to the ground for a few seconds, then glanced at Kakashi who's mind obviously read that he too wanted to know what the problem was. Or rather, what was the matter with him.

So Naruto sighed and gave in reluctantly. Guess they need to know to make me better as soon as they can. Not a good idea to walk around with a dangerous wound like this any longer. Besides, he grew tired of cleaning the wound five times a day and in doing so losing precious time.

"Well.. ", he began with a small cough, "With my hair and my skin, it was tough to handle the desert without pain or using too much chakra. So.. since I had to train my chakra control as well.. I decided that first training was to make the chakra concentrate around my skin and make it rise to the same high temperature, much like Gaara had his armor of sand and how the Rasengan generates heat when you concentrate the chakra as a certain point."

"No wonder I couldn't see you then.." Kakashi chuckled. "Be the same temperature as your surroundings, and its tough to sense it."

"Yeah." Naruto grinned. "Since I was in the mountains before, to me now, its extremely hot outside. To cope with the heat I concentrate a small amount of chakra on my skin that adjusts itself to the outside temperature. So when the desert is a 120 degrees, it would only feel like body temperature to me. I can also do it in reverse."

Tsunade gasped at him, not believing that he had thought up a technique like that by himself.

Kakashi grinned. It was typical for Naruto to invent such a jutsu out of the blue, only because he was getting sunburned and hot in the desert and cold in the winter.

"Here.. Let me show you." Naruto said looking at his sensei, putting Tsunade's hand on his arm. Kakashi got the message and lifted his foreheadprotector of his left eye, revealing the sharingan so he could see Naruto's chakra flow and eventually copy the move to his advantage.

All that happened though was Naruto sighing deeply and closing his eyes. The sharingan revealed the flow of chakra around his body in slowly moving streams of bright red. They slowed down and then reversed, becoming a lighter shade of red. He saw Tsunade suck in some air and she removed her hand. Curious as he was, Kakashi too reached out to touch his skin. It was now cool and fresh, as if he had just taken a cold shower.

"See? This should be good enough right?"

"Yeah yeah.. " Tsunade said confused, but grinning. What a wonderful technique she thought. He could handle any kind of weather now and if he developed it even more into a fighting move, he could burn enemies with that skin. "This is good. Now then, lets get you ready for surgery. The longer we wait with that arm, the longer it will take to heal."

Naruto nodded and she quickly walked away to get everything ready, leaving Kakashi with the bottle in his hand and a quick message to rub it on to numb the skin there. Kneeling next to Naruto, he opened it and the strong minty herbal smell made him flinch. He helped Naruto peel the leaves of his skin, revealing blue battered skin and small red cuts littered over his arm. When he put some of the ointment on the wounds, he heard Naruto suck in air at the sharpness of the sting.

"You know.. " Naruto said softly. "When my skin is extremely hot or cold, I don't feel pain. I guess thats why I forgot to stop the flow of chakra after a while after I had gotten used to it."

Kakashi nodded, now having the time to study this suddenly grown up body in front of him.

"You have grown quite a bit in the past years."

"You think so? I never noticed it. Never had the time to worry about my looks y'know." Naruto grinned and looked down.

Kakashi got up and stood face to face to Naruto.

"Yeah, I have grown a lot." The blonde ninja said, looking up and down to compare himself to his sensei, who was always a good foot or two taller than him.

"And you made it alive. Did you.. Did you manage to gain control over the kyuubi?" He asked, sliding his forehead protector back over his eye.

Naruto fell silent and looked to the ground. Something was sensitive here. But to have invented such a technique already, he must have done a lot of training the past year. Kakashi decided to leave that matter till after the surgery and he put a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"Doesn't matter now. I'm glad you are back." He said with a genuine smile, having felt a load falling off his shoulders the moment he saw him. Finished with the wound, he threw the little bottle away and grinned.

"I'm glad to be back too." Naruto returned the smile.

"Sasuke, Sakura and Iruka will be thrilled to see that you have returned." Kakashi said, jumping up to sit on the ledge of the window, ready to track down Naruto's friends and take them to him.

Within an instant, even with his battered arm, Naruto had gripped him firmly, preventing him from taking off. It send an alarm up Kakashi's body by instinct, that he was dealing with something strong here. He still wasn't quite used to the speed that Naruto moved with, nor to the strength of his hands even though the hand that had gripped his shoulder was the wounded arm.

"Don't.. Don't tell them I am here yet." Naruto said in such a low voice that it was almost impossible to hear. His voice had gotten much lower too, such a change compared to the high pitched loud voice he used to have. Kakashi couldn't see his eyes, but he decided that if thats what Naruto wanted, no matter the reason, he would agree with it. It was not up to him to force Naruto to see his old rival and his old crush.

"Naruto. We are ready. Come with me." Tsunade had returned to the office. It was time for his surgery.

"Iruka. You can ask him to come." He finally said before he walked off to the next toom.

Kakashi stared at him. He had sounded so serious all of a sudden, so adult, what had happened to the young and noisy brat that he was? Iruka.. Heh, he got it.

"Bring me some fresh clothes too if you can sensei. I smell like shit." He finally said with a huge grin.

Kakashi chuckled. There was the Naruto he knew, the Naruto that still was a bit of a kid. The idea of Naruto all grown up and serious had freaked him out. It truly was good to have him back now. Answers would come in time, even though it wasn't up to him when and if those answers would come.


	3. 3 Double Pain

_Chapter three: Double nice pain_

Iruka nearly jumped to the ceiling of his classroom as Kakashi suddenly ported next to him.

"You idiot!" He yelled out, the sudden loss of his temper causing many chuckles in his classroom.

Kakashi simply scratched behind his head with a blush, not quite used to all of the sudden attention.

"Hey hey!" A little brown haired boy said, "You are a very strong ninja right?"

"Um.. yeah."

"Stronger than Iruka sensei?" His little friends asked.

"Yeah.." Kakashi said with a little grin, earning a glare from Iruka.

"Show us!"

The class burst out in squeels for some entertainment. Kakashi giggled. He'd show them. He grabbed Iruka by the waist and lifted his left hand. Before Iruka could say anything in protest, Kakashi had winked at him, telling him that it was alright.

"Now.. behold my power!" He said with a theatrical move of his free left hand and paused dramatically. Iruka could hardly supress a chuckle. His class went silent, expecting their teacher to be turned into something scary or even better, the whole school to disappear.

"Everyone is free no jutsu!" Kakashi shouted and disappeared with Iruka in a puff of smoke, porting directly back into Tsunade's office and leaving a dumbfounded class of kids behind. At first, the kids looked at eachother and wondered what that had meant. But on the other hand, Iruka-sensei was gone and that strong ninja had said everyone was free. So he was stronger than Iruka after all! This ninja could give them a free day while Iruka couldn't, and everyone ran outside to play.

Iruka chuckled.

"You moron.. Now they'll never listen to me again. And put me down."

Setting him slowly back on his feet, Kakashi too grinned behind his mask.

"Yeah well.. they never quite did listen to you. I know I don't."

Iruka fell silent and softly pushed him away, a slight blush on his face. Damn him.

"Too bad you're right.." he softly said. "Now.. remind me. Why did you yank m..?"

"Kuso! Come on!" Kakashi shouted, unabling Iruka to even finish his sentence, and pulled him by his hand to the room next to the office.

They both nearly fell through the door as Kakashi violently shoved Iruka inside, not considering any tables or other people standing there.

"Would you be, would you two just be quiet? Damn.." Tsunade hissed, glaring at the two men. "Pull a trick like that again Kakashi, and I will personally rip you open and make laces out of your guts."

Kakashi swallowed audibly, knowing that even though he was strong, Tsunade was much stronger and even worse, it was very likely that she would do what she just said if he disturbed her again like that. Iruka supressed a giggle, his inside laughing out loud at the face Kakashi made being too precious to forget but on the outside, he needed to remain calm. Bit of bad luck, and the threat applied to him as well.

Iruka looked around the room as Kakashi muttered all kinds of apologies, which he was always very bad at, to Tsunade. He still hadnt told him what he was doing here. The three large windows were blinded partially, bringing only a bit of light into the room. Just enough for them to see, but too dark to be looking inside. In front of Tsunade was a large table with several white-dressed people around and Iruka recognised a few of them as medical ninja's. He heard Tsunade snort in annoyance and he turned his attention to her.

"Iruka! Stop sleeping!" She yelled at him, louder than she actually had needed to get his attention. "Come here." She added after a few seconds, having calmed down a bit now.

"Kakashi, one last thing. Think about this next time you barge in. If you do anything that interupts my attention, then be prepared that I might just accidentally slice a vein or an artery and he will never use that arm again. And it would be.. all.. thanks.. to.. " She lifted her left hand and pointed at him. ".. You."

"He didn't mean to Tsunade-sama.." Iruka looked up at the low voice. He didn't recognise it as being from one of the Shinobi's in the room with him.

"I don't care. You would have lost your arm if he really scared me." She snapped back.

"Yeah, well.. he didn't.."

"We didn't mean to Tsunade." Iruka added with a little smile, seeing how Kakashi was looking at everything except for the current Hokage.

"Hm? Dammit Tsunade.. You said it wouldnt affect me at all. I can't see anything by this green thing and if I'm starting to lose my hearing as well, damn it!"

"Shut up! Your arm goes before your reunion. He's only been here for a minute anyway so keep quiet. Get too excited and you'll die from bloodloss. So shut up and let me work."

"But.."

"Quiet!" She sighed, seeing how dissapointment leaked from every pore in his body. "Iruka. C'mere." She looked at him.

"I hate you, you know that?" The person on the table said. "Of all people that I wanted to see, you bloody make him wait."

"You. Surgery. Stop whining." She simply said, going back to fixing the arm.

Iruka walked towards the table to see who was having surgery there, surprised that the person wasn't completely sedated. He didn't know of any friends that were hurt or any friends that had gone on a dangerous mission lately.

When he got to the table, he saw a young man partially covered by a large green surgery cloth. A long gap in the cloth revealed a large open wound where Tsunade was busy healing pieces of an incredibly crushed bone. Unsure of who it was, he studied the clothes the man was wearing. Loose dark pants and open sandals. The upper body was naked, as he saw the right arm uncovered. Apparently the man was very trained, for it revealed strong muscular shoulders and a long slender hand with several small scars on it. The abdomen was trained as well and the skin flawless, except for a small swirly scar the size of a coin on it.

"Who.."

"Dammit Tsunade! I can't see him."

"Then shut up for a second and I'll lift the cloth. Only if you promise to shut the hell up for the rest of the surgery."

A low sigh came from underneath the cloth.

"Alright.."

She nodded shortly and lifted the green cloth off his face, folding it so that she still had access to the wound.

"But.. who is.." Iruka began as he came closer to the person. Then the person opened his eyes, immediately squinting to protect them from the sudden light. Still, he had caught a glimpse of his former teacher, which made him smile to no ends. The smile revealed a set of bright white teeth with two remarkable fangs gracing the upper row. It was then that Iruka noticed six long marks on the man's cheeks, looking very much like a set of whiskers. Instinctively Iruka glanced to his stomach for a second, seeing nothing but a very tiny swirly scar instead of the Kyuubi's seal. He had done it.

Iruka started to giggle and soon that turned into a genuine laugh as he grabbed the shoulders softly and looked closer at the face, the eyes now open and looking straight at him, the brightest of blue he had ever seen and that he never could forget.

"Naruto.." he said, chuckling a bit, "I don't know how.. but you look terrible.."

Happiness took over him as the man just smiled even more at him and nodded, giving a small wink in the process. He wished he could have just hugged him to death right there and then, so happy he was to see him returned after all this time, save and sound as well. All his fears of once going into the village finding Kakashi carry a dead body, or hearing news that Naruto had forever left the village for some other place or being killed for turning into the Kyuubi, were now gone like snow that melted in the hot sun. The burden that had rested on his shoulders for two long years was gone and the realisation was almost too much for him to handle.

Iruka sneaked out a hand and slid it through the unruly long blonde hair, a small tear falling down on Naruto's face. Naruto let his face fall to the side a bit, touched deeply by the display of happiness by his teacher, his best friend, the only one that had always really cared for him. That was the only reason he requested his teacher. Coming back after such a long time, he needed someone who wouldnt have changed and who would have cared for him no matter in what shape he returned.

"You ugly bastard.." Iruka said softly. "Damn you for taking so long to come back."

Immediately a little voice, sounding much like Naruto in his mind said, 'I'm happy to see you too sensei..'.


	4. 4 Dont wake up yet

_Chapter four: Don't wake up yet_

Not wanting any more people around her, Tsunade booted the two ninja's out within 5 minutes with a warning not to return to the room until she was finished. No matter how hard they fought against their wanting to stay there and ask Naruto every question that arose inside of them, they knew it was better to leave Tsunade do her work and make him get better.

Iruka didn't quite know what to do in a situation like this at first, his mind unable to choose between staying here and waiting for Naruto to recover or do his duty and return to his class. He quickly dismissed the latter thought as Kakashi had gone to get some of his clothes to lend to Naruto as he requested and had passed the school and his classroom, all empty and the riverbed being full. So both men decided to wait, trying to think of the questions they wanted to ask Naruto and trying to figure out where he had been for such a long time.

A couple of hours later Tsunade walked into the room, tired from mending the tens of tiny bones together. Whiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her left hand, she looked up to see where the two had gone, expecting to see them walking around nervously like pair of anxious dads, which they were to a certain extent. Iruka had that quality anyway, he was always like a father to Naruto, no matter how much he denied that.

Instead, she found Kakashi sitting in a big chair and looking outside to the village, now in a golden glow as the sun began to set. In one hand, he had the latest sequel to his favorite book but she couldn't see if he was reading it or not. He was faced away from her, but she could see the large grey spikes shift in a silent confirmation that he had sensed her.

"Kakashi.." She began, wondering where Iruka was.

"Shhh.. " He said to her, slowly raising the hand with the book and beckoning her to come nearer.

As she walked over to him in the chair, she saw Iruka almost completely spread out over his lap, mouth open wide and snoring lightly. She resisted the urge to chuckle at the scene untill she saw Kakashi grin as well.

"He fell asleep. Literally." The older ninja said softly, not wanting to wake him up.

"No wonder the ledge is broken then.." She said, seeing how the window ledge had a rim snapped off. Apparently Iruka had sat there staring outside while he waited for any news.

"Yeah. I guess seeing Naruto all of a sudden was quite a shock for him. He must have been more worn out than I thought. Or he's not in such a good shape anymore."

"Naw.. He's just exhausted." She walked closer to the two. Kakashi looked up from Iruka in his lap and up to the current Hokage, seeing small lines in her face, apparently she was tired too and her jutsu was wearing off.

She softly ruffled the long dark hair of the slender chuunin in front of her, signaling it was time for him to wake up.

"You know. They really look alike sometimes."

"Hm.." Kakashi snorted, shifting his stiff joints a bit, caused by Iruka's heavy warm body to be in the same spot for quite some time.

"Especially now, even after two long years, they are still alike."

Kakashi looked up at her for an explanation and saw her nod her head to the door where she had performed surgery on Naruto.

"Sleeping like he hasnt slept for days. You know Kakashi.."

"Hm?"

"I don't know what to do with him now. I mean, he came to you for help at first, while I had expected him to go to Sakura or Sasuke. And he asked for Iruka, and not for his friends. Something tells me he doesn't want to see them yet."

"Yeah. I was thinking about that too." He replied.

"So. I wanted to ask you for a favor. Even though he looks alright now, he still needs to be careful. The joints I made between each shard are still weak and he needs some time to strenghten them. Besides that, he has to be careful not too put a lot of pressure on them because they might break and I am not going to go through such a surgery again. He also needs time for his nerve endings to heal and the veins to renew the damaged cells, especially the ones too tiny for me to heal. He is lucky that he will only need a week to recover completely instead of several weeks to months. And judging by the way he is sleeping now, the wound combined to his use of that jutsu, he must have been wearing himself out for months."

Kakashi nodded, shifting again to try and wake Iruka up, apparently his lap and chest being so comfortable that said chuunin had no plans of waking up himself anytime soon.

"I'll take them to my house then I guess.. I still have many questions and I think... unf.. this guy has some too." He said.

"Thanks. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a long hot bath and a good night's sleep." Tsunade groaned and cracked her knuckles. "I'll talk to Naruto about this matter later. Just keep him hidden untill I say so.

She desperately tried not to yawn and show a sign of weakness in front of someone , if he says he is ready, which I doubt, he can see some people. As long as they keep quiet and he is kept hidden from the villagers untill I dealt with him, its okay I guess.. Just don't throw a party."

"Sure.." Kakashi muttered, getting quite pissed off by Iruka still keeping him from moving.

"Good. I'll come by soon then." She walked away to get her well-earned sleep time.

Kakashi grunted. Even now Naruto could be a bother, he thought with a small smile. It had been a looong time since he had someone in his house again, let alone someone who he perhaps didn't know as well as he used to anymore.

Kerthud!

Kakashi stood up straight and stretched, having thrown Iruka off his lap, earning him some muttered cursing as said ninja rubbed the back of his head at his rude awakening. Ignoring it, Kakashi walked to the other room, finding Naruto asleep in the same sort of chair he had been sitting in. He shivered as a cool breeze entered the room through one of the open windows. The sun was sinking pretty low now and he was still pretty warm from Iruka sleeping on his lap for so long, so the wind felt quite chilly all of a sudden.

"Ow.. didn't have to be that rude Kakashi.." Came the voice of Iruka behind him, sounding pretty annoyed at the way he was woken up.

Taking one look at Naruto and he decided not to talk anymore, letting the young ninja sleep as he was slowly picked up by Kakashi. Looking at the sleeping face, it worked contagious for him as well, as Iruka tried to supress a yawn again.

"I'm taking him to my place for a couple of days to heal." Kakashi said, looking at the bandaged left arm. "He needs time to heal. And I guess time to figure out some things for himself." He added.

"Hm hm.."

"You wanna come too?"

"Hm hm... Hm?" Iruka frowned. It was rare for Kakashi to invite someone over like that. Especially this late, since it meant that he could spend the night there.

"Yeah well.. " Kakashi looked to the side, looking slightly uncomfortable in the matter and in doing such made a face that Iruka could only think, cute. "I want to ask him some questions. And I don't think he wants to show himself to the village already. Um.. I thought that since he asked for you.. he wanted to talk to you first.."

Iruka nodded. He had a point there.

"But I will kick you out if you fall asleep on top of me again." Kakashi growled at him in a friendly manner, making Iruka blush to no ends. "I'm stiff all over."

'Ignore that thought Iruka..' He thought as he heard that last part.

"Believe me, I won't."

Not waiting for him any longer, Kakashi jumped out of the window and on top of another roof, making as little sound as he could. This was the fastest way to his house anyway and it also kept Naruto asleep, people from staring and people throwing random objects at his head for making so much noise on their roofs. But even before they reached the end of the street, Iruka had already managed to get a shoe thrown in his face, caused by his body still being sleepy and stiff, added to that that he simply wasn't as skilled as Kakashi in being stealthy on the loose metal sheets that Konoha used for making roofs.

Every few seconds Kakashi looked behind to see how Iruka was doing, rolling his eyes in amusement as he heard someone shout at him that he might be a ninja, but if he made such a noise again she would use him as a toilet scrubber.

Kakashi held Naruto even closer to him now, covering the face and the still bare upper-body as much as he could with his flackjacket. Even though Iruka didn't mean it on purpose, he was making a damn lot of noise and especially now, they couldn't use Naruto waking up nor the villagers becoming curious about the sudden evening chase over the roofs with a bundle in their arms.

Good thing for them that it took hardly five minutes from Tsunade's office to Kakashi's window. Relieved, Kakashi slowly opened the window and slid inside, followed closely by Iruka, who surprisingly didn't hit anything the past minute. He finally must have his body up and running, the grey haired jounin thought as he saw the chuunin crawl inside and close the window in one fluid movement.

Kakashi looked around his apartment, deciding without a doubt that the bed was the only right place. Sure, Naruto wasn't made from sugar, but he did need to give that still bruised arm a rest and besides, he probably hadnt slept on a real bed for weeks.

"Hey.. give me a hand.." He whispered to Iruka, who was looking around as if he had never been in his room before.

"Sure... what is it?"

"Lift the blanket will you? So I can.. Yeah.. Thanks.." He said, lying Naruto down on the futon.

"Kakashi.."

"Hm?"

Iruka softly grabbed his head and turned it a few inches to his left, forcing him to look at Naruto's abdomen.

"How.." He softly grabbed Iruka's hand from his head and stared at the young man below him.

The mark that had always screamed 'Kyuubi' on his tummy, had changed drastically. Iruka remembered that there had only been a small scar on the place where the mark used to be. Now it was completely back, as dark as the night and more elaborate than he could remember. The old mark could fit in his palm, the scar was the size of a coin, the new mark, at least he assumed it was new, swirled right up to his chest. The script-like marks between the swirls widened out and had formed patterns of their own that seemed to reach all the way to his back.

They both felt tempted to touch the mark, now worried sick that Naruto had been taken over by the demon and so becoming a huge threat to the village once more. He had grown stronger, that was certain, but exactly how much stronger?

Iruka slightly panicked and gripped the wrist of Kakashi in return, looking at him. He noticed the older ninja tensed as well. Neither of them had noticed before, and Tsunade hadnt told them either. Kakashi looked back at him for a couple of seconds, the same question raging through his mind as well.

Had Naruto failed?

_Chapter five: Strange place called home_

Iruka shot up from the couch where he had been sleeping. He was covered in sweat, the images of a terrible nightmare still lingering in his mind.

He had dreamt that Naruto had returned, but his eyes and his face had all the signs of the Kyuubi. Sharp fangs, red reptile-like eyes and long claws. He had been friendly at first and the easily slit Kakashi's throat and had punched through Sakura and Sasuke. When he finally stood in front of Iruka, he had lifted his hand to slice through him as well. Terrified, Iruka had yelled at himself to open his eyes, forcing himself to wake up.

He slid a hand through his hair, still gasping for air after the heavy shock, his back still hurting after the heavy spasms. He closed his eyes for a second to get back to his senses. Yeah. Where was he? Hm.. judging by the room it wasn't his.. Hm. He looked to his right, seeing a slender man sleep there with ruffled white hair and a younger one with blonde long hair, his face turned slightly to him revealing a six whisker-like marks on his cheek. Kakashi. Naruto.

No dream. Naruto was actually here. And no nightmare, as the boy was sleeping there like nothing ever happened. It was as if nothing ever happened, two years hadnt passed, he hadnt gone away to gain control over the demon.

He was still there.

Naruto and Kakashi were still here.

Iruka laid back down on the couch, letting his head fall to the side to look at the two. Naruto had grown indeed, but Kakashi was still taller. Heh. The two used to be diffirent as black and white, now they were almost the same, sleeping and breathing in the same calming pace. Naruto's face had matured a lot, Kakashi's face was still the same. The same strong jaw and cheekbones, the long scar running down his left eye all remained the same over the years. Both men, one changed and one not, sleeping just a few feet away, somehow made him feel at ease, as if he finally had come home in a warm place.

Iruka grinned. He felt like he was becoming some old princess finally arriving in the place she belonged and the lot. He sounded like a women, he sounded like an old woman, what the hell was he doing anyway at this ungodly hour? He chuckled at his own strange twist of thinking and curled up underneath the light blanket, just glancing over to the two men that mattered so much in his life before he fell asleep, reassured that Naruto was still Naruto, Kakashi here to protect everyone and everyone was normal.

Eh?? Kakashi to protect everyone? He good fend for himself! Shut up and go to sleep Iruka.. He mentally slapped himself. And he did sleep, perhaps the best night of sleep he had gotten in the past few years, knowing or rather, realising that Naruto was alright and right here.

At the break of dawn, Iruka cracked an eye open and stretched his sore limbs. Surely, Kakashi's couhc wasn't the best thing in the world to sleep on. He'd rather have that thick, soft looking futon Kakashi slept on but oh well... in your dreams, he said to himself. Being a sunday, he found Kakashi still sleeping soundly on the futon on the other side of the room. Between them lay a tiny heap of the blanket Naruto had slept under but no Naruto.

Panicked, Iruka jumped from the couch and looked around where he might have gone off too, concentrating on any sound that could come from the young shinobi. Then after what seemed ages, he heard a low sigh coming from outside the windown on the other end of the floor. Taking a small step to the left, he could see a tiny tip of bleached blonde hair outside. Iruka sighed in relief, he had to stop believing Naruto would go away again or he would cause himself a heartattack if he wasn't careful enough.

So this is how it is huh? Naruto asked himself and felt his mind fall silent after that. Closing his eyes, he focused on his breathing, just focusing on the soft morning air enter his body, fill him with energy and then slowly let all out again. Repeat. Repeat. Oh forget it.. He sighed and tried again. But with every inch the sun crept higher into the sky and the rays becoming hotter on his skin, the sounds of Konoha increased as well. In a period of 5 minutes, he found out, a village could become alive and bustling like a city. It partially scared him. Well, it scared him shitless for most part, but it also gave him a sensation of coming home, his mind recognizing the sounds he hadnt heard for two years.

It was a comfort, a welcome, and a damn distraction as well. he dismissed the idea of meditating any longer and tried to listen to the sounds and figure what they meant or said instead. The sound of water running nearby, the steady soft sound of a waterfall.. That must be the stream nearby. It didn't sound as loud as he remembered it did. Slowly, kids voices mingled in, giggling and cheering, chattering to other children playing there. Naruto knew it was early, but it promised to be another classic summer day, skin-scorching and busy, and probably, the waterside absolutely loaded with people from all ages. He himself had spent countless hours at the wa...

"So.. decided to reveal yourself already Naruto?" Iruka's soft voice said, not wanting to disturb the peace of the morning nor Naruto's thoughts.

Naruto didn't move a muscle, his mind being extremely fast already, too fast for his body to do any sudden moves and he let it. Just keep still and talk softly, concentration at its peak and you're alright. He loved doing that.

"What do you mean sensei?" He asked in return, his voice suddenly low to Iruka, who was still used to the high-pitched loud voice he used to have.

He chuckled and looked down and to his right, where the nearest large street was.

"Apart from Shikamaru, there isn't any other shinobi that can be found on the roof this early."

Naruto cracked his left right open, seeing Iruka look to the street with a grin.

"So you can imagine that a tanned, tall, blonde guy on Kakashi's roof turns some heads." He nudged to the street and indeed, two or three people raised their heads to see who the strange guy on the roof was.

"They know I'm sitting here sometimes, but someone el.."

"Kuso!" Naruto cursed and set his body in full-throttle, diving into the window.

Iruka chuckled and sighed in a friendly matter. He was Naruto alright.

"Someone else might rouse suspicion y'know.."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head at his own stupidity and then looked up at his former sensei.

"Sorry.. Not used to people around I guess.. I used to meditate every morning.." He paused for a moment. "Eh? They know about you hanging around Kakashi-sensei's house and sitting on his roof in the morning?"

Iruka saw his error and coughed softly, a small blush spreading in his cheeks.

"Yeah well.. Tea? I'll go make breakfast for you two then."

Naruto smiled at the word breakfast. It had been ages since he ate with someone and his stomach certainly wasn't planning on continuing that habit now.

"Thanks sensei! Need me to help out?"

"Nah.. I know my way around so don't worry."

Naruto tilted his head. He knew the way that well in this house?

Iruka noticed how the young man in front of him was busy sorting out what information was just handed to him and he fell his cheeks heat up again. Exit, and fast too, he thought and quickly walked to the kitchen to start making breakfast for his friends, leaving Naruto behind in his confusion. Not for long tho, as said shinobi started grinning from ear to ear just before Iruka was in the kitchen. He just added one and one.

His smile disappeared like snow in the sun, as he heard a loud giggle outside the window. A girls voice, a familiar voice. Maybe it was Ino outside.. If that was so, then either Shikamaru or Sasuke couldn't be far off..

Naruto looked to the floor, sighing deeply. Sooner or later, he had to face all of them again. Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, Lee, Chouji, Neji, Tenten, Hinata, Kiba and oh yeah, lets not forget.. Sasuke. He groaned. He had missed them and he hadnt missed them. He wanted to know how they were now, he didn't want to see them and answer endless questions. He wanted to know what they looked like and how they had grown over the years but he didn't want to be seen as the same Naruto that left Konoha two years ago.

"You are going to have to face them sooner or later.. "

Naruto grinned. Kakashi and his pinpoint intuition.

"Its up to you to decide when its the right time.."

"Never."

Kakashi frowned. Never? He was here now wasn't he? He would be amazed to find out how Sakura and especially Sasuke had suffered from his abscence and how Konoho had started to respect instead of despise him.

"Never? You should talk to them. You know that Sakura.." He was cut short by Naruto, who stood up straight and flexed the muscles of his shoulders.

"I don't want to know."

"But.."

"Honestly. I do not want to know." Naruto turned around to face his former and maybe still, current teacher. He looked at Kakashi as serious as he could. To Kakashi, it looked more like pure sadness.

"Look.. Nobody likes questions, but these people are your friends, they deserve to know what happened to you."

"Che. In what way are they my friends?"

Kakashi gulped. Naruto never thought that way before. Maybe these two years away from them, a lot of time to think, had changed his vision on his teammates. In fact, he sounded more like Sasuke, he too being plagued by solitude all his life. Both boys had experienced that solitude diffirently. To Naruto, it was a force to be the best in the world, ignoring the pain that it gave as people looked at him. To Sasuke, it provided a reason to be hated and be by himself and in doing so, preventing everyone around him from getting hurt, him included. A defensive manner and an agressive manner of approach. That had made them so diffirent, but it had also made them alike, the same pain, the same torture of being around people.

Suddenly it all fell into place for Kakashi. Taking away that only chance at power, the kyuubi, Naruto must have felt like he was truly nothing, truly alone. Sasuke had had the sharingan, Naruto had nothing of the sort. True solitude. No one around him. Nothing in him, just nothing. Envy and jealousy must have taken over at a certain point as he came to the realisation he wasn't special at all, he had no special skill that made him somebody. He must have questioned the friendship he considered real.

Unknown to Kakashi, Naruto thought almost exactly the same. Had they pretended to be friends out of pity? Because he was special like them because of the kyuubi? Che.. He had forgotten the true meaning of their friendship a long time ago.

Kakashi sighed, not quite knowing what to say. Obviously, Naruto wasn't ready to blend into the village again. But he didn't want to lose him either.

"Stay here till you know why again you considered them friends and find the answer from people around you. Thats all I can say now. I'm hungry."

"Yeah.."

"Are you coming? Iruka makes great eggs.."

Naruto snuffed and grinned. There was that binding kind of sentence again. There was a reason why he used to think of Konoha's genin as friends.. maybe Kakashi was right and he just needed a reminder. It was indeed best to stay here for a little longer and see what would happen.

Hearing low laughter come from the kitchen and the sound of plates and cups, together with the smell of fresh warm food, he turned around and decided to enjoy the time here for as long as it lasted.

The last thing he thought before turning his attention to his sensei's was the wonder if Kakashi's undertone of blaming him that he only remembered the bad things about Konoha and he needed reminding of the positive things again. But didn't it always work that way? Did he really forget all the good things of his friends and only remaining with the bad memories?

Maybe..


	5. 5 Strange place called home

_Chapter five: Strange place called home_

Iruka shot up from the couch where he had been sleeping. He was covered in sweat, the images of a terrible nightmare still lingering in his mind.

He had dreamt that Naruto had returned, but his eyes and his face had all the signs of the Kyuubi. Sharp fangs, red reptile-like eyes and long claws. He had been friendly at first and then easily slit Kakashi's throat and had punched through Sakura and Sasuke. When he finally stood in front of Iruka, he had lifted his hand to slice through him as well. Terrified, Iruka had yelled at himself to open his eyes, forcing himself to wake up.

He slid a hand through his hair, still gasping for air after the heavy shock, his back still hurting after the heavy spasms. He closed his eyes for a second to get back to his senses. Yeah. Where was he? Hm.. judging by the room it wasn't his.. Hm. He looked to his right, seeing a slender man sleep there with ruffled white hair and a younger one with blonde long hair, his face turned slightly to him revealing a six whisker-like marks on his cheek. Kakashi. Naruto.

No dream. Naruto was actually here. And no nightmare, as the boy was sleeping there like nothing ever happened. It was as if nothing ever happened, two years hadn't passed, he hadn't gone away to gain control over the demon.

He was still there.

Naruto and Kakashi were still here.

Iruka laid back down on the couch, letting his head fall to the side to look at the two. Naruto had grown indeed, but Kakashi was still taller. Heh. The two used to be diffirent as black and white, now they were almost the same, sleeping and breathing in the same calming pace. Naruto's face had matured a lot, Kakashi's face was still the same. The same strong jaw and cheekbones, the long scar running down his left eye all remained the same over the years. Both men, one changed and one not, sleeping just a few feet away, somehow made him feel at ease, as if he finally had come home in a warm place.

Iruka grinned. He felt like he was becoming some old princess finally arriving in the place she belonged and the lot. He sounded like a women, he sounded like an old woman, what the hell was he doing anyway at this ungodly hour? He chuckled at his own strange twist of thinking and curled up underneath the light blanket, just glancing over to the two men that mattered so much in his life before he fell asleep, reassured that Naruto was still Naruto, Kakashi here to protect everyone and everyone was normal.

Eh?? Kakashi to protect everyone? He good fend for himself! Shut up and go to sleep Iruka.. He mentally slapped himself. And he did sleep, perhaps the best night of sleep he had gotten in the past few years, knowing or rather, realising that Naruto was alright and right here.

At the break of dawn, Iruka cracked an eye open and stretched his sore limbs. Surely, Kakashi's couch wasn't the best thing in the world to sleep on. He'd rather have that thick, soft looking futon Kakashi slept on but oh well... in your dreams, he said to himself. Being a sunday, he found Kakashi still sleeping soundly on the futon on the other side of the room. Between them lay a tiny heap of the blanket Naruto had slept under but no Naruto.

Panicked, Iruka jumped from the couch and looked around where he might have gone off too, concentrating on any sound that could come from the young shinobi. Then after what seemed ages, he heard a low sigh coming from outside the windown on the other end of the floor. Taking a small step to the left, he could see a tiny tip of bleached blonde hair outside. Iruka sighed in relief, he had to stop believing Naruto would go away again or he would cause himself a heartattack if he wasn't careful enough.

So this is how it is huh? Naruto asked himself and felt his mind fall silent after that. Closing his eyes, he focused on his breathing, just focusing on the soft morning air enter his body, fill him with energy and then slowly let all out again. Repeat. Repeat. Oh forget it.. He sighed and tried again. But with every inch the sun crept higher into the sky and the rays becoming hotter on his skin, the sounds of Konoha increased as well. In a period of 5 minutes, he found out, a village could become alive and bustling like a city. It partially scared him. Well, it scared him shitless for most part, but it also gave him a sensation of coming home, his mind recognizing the sounds he hadn't heard for two years.

It was a comfort, a welcome, and a damn distraction as well. He dismissed the idea of meditating any longer and tried to listen to the sounds and figure what they meant or said instead. The sound of water running nearby, the steady soft sound of a waterfall.. That must be the stream nearby. It didn't sound as loud as he remembered it did. Slowly, kids voices mingled in, giggling and cheering, chattering to other children playing there. Naruto knew it was early, but it promised to be another classic summer day, skin-scorching and busy, and probably, the waterside absolutely loaded with people from all ages. He himself had spent countless hours at the wa...

"So.. decided to reveal yourself already Naruto?" Iruka's soft voice said, not wanting to disturb the peace of the morning nor Naruto's thoughts.

Naruto didn't move a muscle, his mind being extremely fast already, too fast for his body to do any sudden moves and he let it. Just keep still and talk softly, concentration at its peak and you're alright. He loved doing that.

"What do you mean sensei?" He asked in return, his voice suddenly low to Iruka, who was still used to the high-pitched loud voice he used to have.

He chuckled and looked down and to his right, where the nearest large street was.

"Apart from Shikamaru, there isn't any other shinobi that can be found on the roof this early."

Naruto cracked his left right open, seeing Iruka look to the street with a grin.

"So you can imagine that a tanned, tall, blonde guy on Kakashi's roof turns some heads." He nudged to the street and indeed, two or three people raised their heads to see who the strange guy on the roof was.

"They know I'm sitting here sometimes, but someone el.."

"Kuso!" Naruto cursed and set his body in full-throttle, diving into the window.

Iruka chuckled and sighed in a friendly matter. He was Naruto alright.

"Someone else might rouse suspicion y'know.."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head at his own stupidity and then looked up at his former sensei.

"Sorry.. Not used to people around I guess.. I used to meditate every morning.." He paused for a moment. "Eh? They know about you hanging around Kakashi-sensei's house and sitting on his roof in the morning?"

Iruka saw his error and coughed softly, a small blush spreading in his cheeks.

"Yeah well.. Tea? I'll go make breakfast for you two then."

Naruto smiled at the word breakfast. It had been ages since he ate with someone and his stomach certainly wasn't planning on continuing that habit now.

"Thanks sensei! Need me to help out?"

"Nah.. I know my way around so don't worry."

Naruto tilted his head. He knew the way that well in this house?

Iruka noticed how the young man in front of him was busy sorting out what information was just handed to him and he fell his cheeks heat up again. Exit, and fast too, he thought and quickly walked to the kitchen to start making breakfast for his friends, leaving Naruto behind in his confusion. Not for long tho, as said shinobi started grinning from ear to ear just before Iruka was in the kitchen. He just added one and one.

His smile disappeared like snow in the sun, as he heard a loud giggle outside the window. A girls voice, a familiar voice. Maybe it was Ino outside.. If that was so, then either Shikamaru or Sasuke couldn't be far off..

Naruto looked to the floor, sighing deeply. Sooner or later, he had to face all of them again. Sakura, Ino, Shikamaru, Lee, Chouji, Neji, Tenten, Hinata, Kiba and oh yeah, lets not forget.. Sasuke. He groaned. He had missed them and he hadn't missed them. He wanted to know how they were now, he didn't want to see them and answer endless questions. He wanted to know what they looked like and how they had grown over the years but he didn't want to be seen as the same Naruto that left Konoha two years ago.

"You are going to have to face them sooner or later.. "

Naruto grinned. Kakashi and his pinpoint intuition.

"Its up to you to decide when its the right time.."

"Never."

Kakashi frowned. Never? He was here now wasn't he? He would be amazed to find out how Sakura and especially Sasuke had suffered from his abscence and how Konoho had started to respect instead of despise him.

"Never? You should talk to them. You know that Sakura.." He was cut short by Naruto, who stood up straight and flexed the muscles of his shoulders.

"I don't want to know."

"But.."

"Honestly. I do not want to know." Naruto turned around to face his former and maybe still, current teacher. He looked at Kakashi as serious as he could. To Kakashi, it looked more like pure sadness.

"Look.. Nobody likes questions, but these people are your friends, they deserve to know what happened to you."

"Che. In what way are they my friends?"

Kakashi gulped. Naruto never thought that way before. Maybe these two years away from them, a lot of time to think, had changed his vision on his teammates. In fact, he sounded more like Sasuke, he too being plagued by solitude all his life. Both boys had experienced that solitude diffirently. To Naruto, it was a force to be the best in the world, ignoring the pain that it gave as people looked at him. To Sasuke, it provided a reason to be hated and be by himself and in doing so, preventing everyone around him from getting hurt, him included. A defensive manner and an agressive manner of approach. That had made them so diffirent, but it had also made them alike, the same pain, the same torture of being around people.

Suddenly it all fell into place for Kakashi. Taking away that only chance at power, the kyuubi, Naruto must have felt like he was truly nothing, truly alone. Sasuke had had the sharingan, Naruto had nothing of the sort. True solitude. No one around him. Nothing in him, just nothing. Envy and jealousy must have taken over at a certain point as he came to the realisation he wasn't special at all, he had no special skill that made him somebody. He must have questioned the friendship he considered real.

Unknown to Kakashi, Naruto thought almost exactly the same. Had they pretended to be friends out of pity? Because he was special like them because of the kyuubi? Che.. He had forgotten the true meaning of their friendship a long time ago.

Kakashi sighed, not quite knowing what to say. Obviously, Naruto wasn't ready to blend into the village again. But he didn't want to lose him either.

"Stay here till you know why again you considered them friends and find the answer from people around you. Thats all I can say now. I'm hungry."

"Yeah.."

"Are you coming? Iruka makes great eggs.."

Naruto snuffed and grinned. There was that binding kind of sentence again. There was a reason why he used to think of Konoha's genin as friends.. maybe Kakashi was right and he just needed a reminder. It was indeed best to stay here for a little longer and see what would happen.

Hearing low laughter come from the kitchen and the sound of plates and cups, together with the smell of fresh warm food, he turned around and decided to enjoy the time here for as long as it lasted.

The last thing he thought before turning his attention to his sensei's was the wonder if Kakashi's undertone of blaming him that he only remembered the bad things about Konoha and he needed reminding of the positive things again. But didn't it always work that way? Did he really forget all the good things of his friends and only remaining with the bad memories?

Maybe..


	6. 6 Don't hide, part one

_Chapter six, part one: Don't hide_

"Naruto.."

Kakashi sighed and looked at the young man beside him, having joined him on his roof again. Somehow, Naruto enjoyed sitting there in peace, not moving, not speaking, sometimes not even looking around hm but just sitting there for hours on end doing nothing but being busy with his own thoughts and troubles. Troubles, since Kakashi sometimes could hear deep sighs coming from him, sounding so loud that he could hear it in his living room.

Naruto had changed drastically in the past few days he had been staying with his sensei. Kakashi found his mind on high alert sometimes when he saw a flash of someone he didn't know wandering in his house or sitting on his roof as he came home from a mission.

Naruto had asked Iruka and him to bring some stuff to him. Now, the shinobi, once clad in yellow and orange with bright blonde hair, was now a black-haired young man dressed in green and dark blue. His hair what had been spiky and slightly longer than he used to have it, was now tied up as much as he could in a tiny ponytail on the back of his head. He had dyed it that morning to make sure nobody would recognise him this way, making it a shiny pitch black. His clothes consisted of long baggy black pants and a simple dark blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up slightly and a large green Konoha symbol on the back. He looked more like a Konoha resident instead of the familiar Naruto now. An exceptionally handsome Konoha shinobi, Kakashi added, seeing girls stop in front of his house and looking up, wondering who the young man was on his roof. The trademark whiskers were hidden under a layer of black marks, much like Kankuro or Chouji wore marks on their faces. Added to that, Naruto's face had matured and his muscles were well-defined now, showing under the light shirt. It almost seemed that the old Naruto was gone and was replaced by a man scarred by his experiences and tough life alone. But every time he heard Naruto talk or saw him smile, he saw not the man in front of him, but a 18-year old kid that was still the same inside, somewhere.

"Y'know Naruto.." He spoke with a low voice, asking attention from the man next to him, only signaling that he had said attention by a small twitch near his eyes. "I'm growing tired of this."

"Hn?" Naruto hummed.

"Jeez.. " He tried to think of something but everything he could think of would come out wrong or would have the wrong result. He wasn't the kind of person to talk a lot anyway or do elaborate explanations or things like that. So, nothing for it then.

He grabbed Naruto by his collar and jerked him to the side, making sure that his arm was free so it wouldnt be broken again and then, simply jumped off his roof, dragging Naruto behind him.

"Ano ne! Sen.. Sensei! Mate! Kuso.. Matte yo!!" Naruto protested heavily.

Kakashi ignored him and lifted him to his feet after a couple of yards of dragging him to the main street. Seeing as many people started staring at the familiar person that still wasn't quite known to them, he tightened his grip on the collar and pulled Naruto close to his face.

"Listen. If you are not going into the village, I'm going to make the village come to you, got that?" He hissed softly.

"Hey! I don't want to see anyone!"

"But they DO want to see you! I'm tired of all the girls roaming around my house wondering who the boy is who keeps his mouth and eyes shut for days! I am not going to wait for you be ready to see your friends again, you will just have to grin and bear it okay? Okay??" He added for emphasis.

Naruto pouted and looked to his right and left, seeing people stare at them. He gripped the wrist of his sensei and relaxed, signaling that he should let go now.

"You are still my student. We are going to do this my way."

"Hnf.." Naruto huffed. "You can't make me."

Kakashi twitched, starting to have enough of this old cocky side of Naruto mixed with a low self-esteem. It didn't fit him and it wasn't like him. Point blank and no point denying it.

"Care to find out?" He growled. "You might have done some extensive training Naruto, but don't tell me you think I've been doing nothing myself while you were away."

Getting tired of the one-sided arguement, Naruto looked away from his sensei. He was right, he still could very well be stronger than him and he wasn't in the mood to find out the hard way.

Kakashi let go of him and grabbed him by a shoulder, still glaring at Naruto.

"Now, we, you and I, and anyone else who will be there, are going to eat ramen. Eating it at the stall, outside, between everyone else who is there and you are going to be yourself."

Naruto's face brightened, the sound of eating ramen at the place that could have been called his second home, sounded quite alright! Besides! Who would recognise him with his hair dyed black and his body grown into that of a man? He chuckled. Maybe Kakashi was right, this would be a nice celebration and added to that, it might remind him why he used to feel at home here. Might. Maybe. He'd see.

Kakashi grinned as well and relaxed, sliding his arm around his shoulder like he would with an old friend.

"Yosh!" He exclaimed, dropping the evil-sensei act. "Your treat tonight!"

Naruto gulped audibly and started stuttering. He never had any money, taking whatever he needed from nature and.. well, whatever he could find. But it certainly was lost now, since he arrived with only a set of clothes after being alone for months.

"Ah.. um.. ano.. I don't have any money." He said with his head bowed down in light shame.

"I know. You are just going to have to repay me with your body tonight." Kakashi said calmly, leading him into a side street where the Ichiraku Ramen shop was.

Naruto gulped audibly. What the..

"Just joking! Idiot.." Kakashi laughed and ruffled the long hair, chuckling even more so when he heard Naruto heave a sigh of relief. "Its my treat. Its about time we celebrated your homecoming."

"Eyooo sensei!" They both looked up at the squeely voice, belonging to a girl with remarkable blank grey eyes and long flowing deep black hair. "Whose homecoming?"

"Always so nosy Hanabi.." Kakashi kneeled and patted the girl on the head.

"Who is this?" She asked him with a smile, holding a stuffed toy to her chest. She then turned his attention to Naruto. "He has such blue eyes.. I havent seen him before around here. Is he demon?"

Kakashi chuckled.

"What makes you think that Ha-chan?"

"Well, he's got strange blue eyes and blue-eyed people never have skin that dark and black hair and and and he has dark clothes, but not in the style you have or Iruka sensei have or dad has, but wider and and, well.. his chakra is diffirent from yours." She rambled on.

Naruto frowned. Chakra was diffirent than Kakashi's? How..

"You'll make a good ninja when you grow up Hanabi." His sensei told the girl.

Naruto took another good look at her. Then it all fell into place. The eyes, the hair and the way she had taken a look at him, the smartness for her age since she didn't appear to be any older than 8. She was part of the Hyuuga clan obviously and come to think of it, she looked a terrible lot like Neji when he was younger.

"Well?"

"Hm?"

"Who'se homecoming are you going to celebrate? Can I come too?"

"Ah.. well.." Kakashi stuttered, not quite knowing how to explain Naruto's presence.

"Hanabi." Naruto began and lowered himself to his kneels as well. "I'm not a demon. I'm Kakashi's good friend from a land so far away that you wouldnt be able to reach it even if you ran for a hundred years. " He said to her, spreading his arms as if he was flying, making moves like a magician would.

She squeeled in joy like a little girl that loved exciting mysterious stories.

"You think my eyes are that blue and my skin is that dark? Thats because I come from the place where the sea meets the land and where the wind always blows and blows.. Whoooosh."

"Kyaaaa!" She squeeled.

"So I flew on the wind to see the ones I love most. I was born in this village you know.." He said with a mysterious grin on his face.

"So you went to see Kakashi because you love him most?"

"Yes."

She squeezed the stuffed animal as he patted her on her head. She smiled at him and quickly ran to her friends, standing a few feet away, eyeing the stranger wearily.

"Did you have to give that answer to her last question?" He heard Kakashi growl in a sigh next to him.

"Of course. It'd be a nice fairy-tale wouldnt it?"

"Che.."

"You are my only friend, well, beside Iruka of course, that I have now so.."

Kakashi blushed beneath his mask and looked elsewhere for a moment. Unfortunately for him, Naruto noticed it and began to laugh softly.

"Don't read too much into it though." He said with a smile, patting his sensei on the back. "I'll leave that to Iruka and your.. morning rituals. Ichiraku is this way still?" He pointed to their left.

"Yeah yeah.." Kakashi walked to the ramen shop, his mind riddled with questions. Naruto thought too much. Or did he himself perhaps think too much? This was becoming confusing, he concluded with a sigh, Naruto thought too fast.

Still thinking about what Naruto had implied so casually, he bumped into said ninja, standing still in front of Ichiraku's, his nose about to touch the cloths that hang in front of the shop.

"Hn? Come on.. What is it Na.."

"I do not understand you Kakashi." Naruto said so loud that Kakashi frowned at him, raised an eyebrow for a second and silently demanded an explanation, but Naruto didn't see him. "For the all years I have known you," he continued. "You keep calling me Naraku but it is Ranaku alright? How long till you get it right?"

Naruto looked behind him, his eyes slightly in panick, screaming out so powerfully that he could have sworn he heard his voice inside his head, yelling his teacher had better call him Ranaku or he would be dead. Even though the small sweatdrop at the side of Naruto's head proved that even he found it a lousy name.

"Just kidding just kidding." Kakashi replied to him., shrugging his shoulders and squinting his eye for a second for an explanation again. He was a surprisingly good actor, Naruto noted, seeing how casual he had reacted to forced voice and new 'name'.

Naruto sighed lightly and shoved the cloths to the side with Kakashi on his tail. Instantly, his sensei saw what had been the problem. Apparently, Hanabi had come to visit her cousin,or rather harass with her high-pitched voice, since Neji was slowly sipping on some sake, listening to Chouji stuff his face and talk at the same time. On the other side was Shikamaru, slurping down the last bit of soup in his bowl.

Naruto instantly lost his appetite for the good old ramen he had loved so much. Surely, Chouji wouldnt notice him, but Neji and Shikamaru. Now there was a problem. If Neji was only the slightest bit like that little girl, he would byakugan him instantly to study what kind of ninja he was, the chakra flow and with a bit of bad luck, even the color of his boxers. Then Shikamaru. Even though he hardly said a lot, the boy, well now he was a young man, would probably see through him instantly. Outside, they hardly had changed. Maybe their faces had grown more angular and older, but on the inside, they would probably still be the same.

He closed his eyes for a second and in his mind he yelled out the words for the Henge and focused the chakra to his eyes, turning them a light green instead of the usual blue or predictable red. Then he hoped for the best that his face and body, changed and scarred by a long time alone and grown muscular from the hardships, would have changed enough to make them believe he was someone else.

"Now, I'd like Miso-ramen please and some sake. How about you?" Kakashi asked Naruto, acting as if nothing was wrong, hoping that Naruto would either pick up the hint or drop the act in all. But as soon as he noticed the change in eye-color, he scrapped the latter idea.

"The same please." They sat down together, Naruto next to Shikamaru and Kakashi at the end of the table.

"It smells good in here. I wouldnt be surprised if your stories about this place are true Kakashi." Naruto said, taking a huge gamble into sitting immediately next to probably the smartest person in Konoha.

"Oy, Kakashi." Chouji blurted out with his mouth half full with rice and yakitori chunks. "Who is he?"

Neji turned his head to look at the stranger. To Naruto, it almost went into slow-motion as he sucked in some air thinking 'here we go'. He imagined to see the veins appear on Neji's pale skin and pupil-like shapes to form in his eyes. Then he would probably gasp, sigh, shout or whatever he was able to do.. Or at least say his real name.

But nothing happened. Neji glanced at him and that was it, though obviously focused now on Kakashi's answer.

Shikamaru ignored him at all. No surprise there. Not yet, Naruto thought.

"Oh, this is the son of a friend of mine. His dad asked me to teach him the Bunshin." Kakashi simply said.

"Ish e ninna?"

"What?"

"Is he a ninja?"

"Well, his dad is."

Chouji chuckled and took a large gulp of water to be able to speak without all the food still stuck in his mouth.

"I'll say. What kind of ninja can't even do a bunshin?"

"Naruto couldn't." Shikamaru said softly. Naruto's heart must have skipped right then when he heard his name being said by a voice he had long forgotten. "But he was a ninja. So?"

"Yeah, but he cheated!"

"Doesn't matter."

"Course it does. He learned the KAGE bunshin, not just the regular bunshin. Besides, look at that guy Shikamaru! He's old!"

Naruto tried his very best to suppres his laughter, hearing Kakashi snicker next to him.

"So?"

"Hmf.." Chouji gave up. "For a ninja this old.. we learned it at age 12, why hasnt he.. why didn't you learn it when you were younger?" He turned his attention to Naruto, his head almost lying on the counter as he tried to look at him around Shikamaru.

"Dunno." Naruto tried to sound casual, his mind working overtime to think of a good reason. "I trained taijutsu most of the time. I was extremely bad at the other types so my teacher didn't even bother to do it. So Kakashi is going to teach me some basics."

"Hm." Chouji grunted.

"He sounds like to be a type like Rock Lee." Neji said.

Naruto frowned at that name, wondering what the doofy boy looked like now and if he ever had gotten rid of the curse of sole taijutsu fighting.

"Ah! Hn.. smells good. I'm starving." Kakashi dodged the subject. He raised the tiny cup of sake and held it up high. "Kanpai, on your arrival here in Konoha." He winked at Naruto. Especially that last part had been entirely true so it felt like a little celebration after and Naruto forgot for a moment the strange looks he got from the three men he had once considered as friends.

Shrugging, the three of them also lifted their cups and all slowly mumbled "Kanpai."

"And new friends." Kakashi added. The four men looked at him like they would when they were still 14. "Sorry for being so rude guys. This is Ranaku. Ranaku, this is Shikamaru, lazy bum. Chouji, likes to eat and Neji, trapped genius."

"Oh would you please be quiet sensei!" Neji blurted out at the small descriptions Kakashi gave of each boy, him being especially touchy after a fews sips of sake.

Naruto chuckled and took a small amount of sake as well. It burned down his throat and it reminded him that he hardly had it, in fact, last time had been well over a year ago. But he held his pride and swallowed it, making a note to self that he should take it easy.

"He's too old for us sensei to be friends."

Kakashi blinked.

"Chouji, you bloody brat.. First off, age doesn't matter and second, he is just as old as you."

Gulping a chunk of fresh yakitori down, Chouji looked up and down Naruto and grinned.

"Suuuure."

Kakashi chuckled and watched as both Naruto and Chouji started on their respective dinners again. Neji ordered something tiny to eat next and Shikamaru stuck to green tea and sake. Chouji began to mutter some stories again that were impossible to understand with his mouth full.

Its was almost like old times.


	7. 6 Don't hide, part two

_Chapter six, part two: Don't hide_

Naruto looked at Kakashi between two bites, seeing his sensei having downed his whole bowl of ramen already and ordering another one. It felt like old times almost. Kakashi still impossible to imagine without his mask on, dressed in his dark jounin outfit. The guys beside him also hardly changed. Maybe only Neji looked diffirent, having his cream colored jacket replaced by a tight fitting dark blue shirt and his long hair tied in a long tail, wound with bandage much like he still had his right hand and leg. The light and the atmosphere Naruto used to love so much about the Ichiraku was slowly flowing back as good memories inside his mind. Was this home? Had he finally returned completely?

But he looked at his hands for a second, littered with small dark scars and his skin tanned. He thought of how he dyed his hair and just changed his eyes. His clothes were now dark and wide as well, instead of the childish bright colors he used to wear. The thoughts in his head were diffirent now too. He had grown up. His body, his soul, his mind, were all carved and shaped by the training he put himself through, that decision alone being enough to make a boy grow into a man in a single day.

"I'd almost say we were having class here." A low voice came from behind the chattering group, waking Naruto up from his train of thoughts.

"Ah. Who are you?" The voice bluntly asked.

Naruto turned around and looked up, his heart skipping a beat. Behind him was a young man with pale skin and pure black eyes. Flawless, was the first word that came into his mind if he had to describe the person that moment. His hair was raven-black and shimmered with a blue shine in the light of Ichiraku's lanterns. Two longs locks covered a part of his face and he had a tiny tail at the back of his head. The clothes were much like Iruka's, dark blue lose shirt and the standard pants for a chuunin. No doubt about it. This was..

"Ah! Sasuke! Care to join us?"

Sasuke raised an eye at the stranger, squinting his eyes just a tiny bit as if he was thinking of something. Naruto felt the adrenaline surge through his veins. He wasn't ready to see that bastard yet! He didn't want to have to explain a lot or simply be humiliated or insulted again just like nothing happened.

"Nn." He hummed, agreeing in the offer for dinner.

Naruto quickly got off his seat and took a step back, signaling that he offered Sasuke the chair. He had to get out of there. If everything was even a tiny bit like it used to be then.. Simply put, where Sasuke was, there was Sakura too. Where Sakura was, so was Lee. Where Lee was, so was Gai and so on. He wasn't ready to face so many people already, so many chances of his cover being blown like a bubble on a pine tree.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the offer.

"Who are you?" He asked Naruto again.

"Um.. Ranaku." Naruto managed to blurt out. "From the country in the west."

He flashed his eyes to Kakashi for a second, hoping he would notice and help him out. But Kakashi was too caught up in the talks of the Ichiraku's owner about a new volume or story about 'Icha Icha Paradise'. Apparently that title alone was still enough to get the jounin's full attention. Nothing for it. He was on his own on this.

Sasuke grabbed a chair from a table and slid it between Naruto and Shikamaru, exchanging looks with the latter for any explanations.

Naruto forced himself to fall back into his role and decided to start a conversation. Or try too.. if Sasuke was still the same. Maybe he could find out what had happened to Sakura in the meanwhile, since she didn't appear to be near. He grinned. Would she still be the same as he remembered her. Would he still feel love for her if he saw her right now?

Ignoring his nerves and slowly getting them under control, he sat down on his original spot.

"I gave you my name, what is yours?" He asked, treating Sasuke the same as he always had treated everyone else, blunt and to the point.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Like he expected, a strange silence fell between them.

Somehow, Naruto couldn't stop staring and he caught Sasuke staring back at him as well. It was as if Sasuke seemed to to recognise him or reminded him of something or someone. It was strange to his former enemy and teammate after two years. In his memories, Sasuke had been taller than him with long slender hands and legs, well-defined light muscles and a surprisingly low voice for his age. The boy Sasuke was still apparent in the face, but only faint. The already small eyes had changed into long small, almond shaped eyes, still a deep black. The voice was still low and cold. Had the bastard even changed in the past two years or had only his body changed?

I don't even want to find out, Naruto thought. Sakura could come around the corner any minute now and she was the last thing he was ready for now. The strain of seeing the other guys from his former class and keeping up the act of being someone else, together with the jutsu he had activated on his eyes, had worn him out completely.

It simply became all too much that moment. It had taken him quite a while to get adjusted to the idea of Kakashi and Iruka walking around him every day, having lived two years in solitude. This.. dealing with these people again, familiar and somehow so new, and so many at the same time... it was scary, utterly frightening.

He pinched his brow with his fingers and sighed. Trying to signal as casually as he could be that he was tired, annoyed and wanted to go home. Well.. home.. Kakashi and Iruka's place. Somewhere safe and quiet.

Kakashi, apparently chattering about the new 'icha icha paradise' book with the shop owner, had been observating Naruto and his former teammates. And he knew exactly what Naruto was thinking. He knew the young shinobi wanted to run away. So.., he thought, he may look strong or sound strong, but deep inside he is still running away like he did on training. Probably.

"Ne ne Ranaku!" He exclaimed with a blush and a grin, pretending to be slighltly drunk from the sake. "Isn't this fun? I told you that Ichiraku's had the best ramen in the whole country didn't I?"

Naruto had to grin, be it nervously, to maintain his act and let himself be hugged by his sensei.

"Listen.." He heard Kakashi hiss in his ear. "The guy I knew as Naruto never ran away from anything. He faced the glares of the village, the scowls of Sasuke, defied the Kyuubi, defied every single being that thought he was worthless and proved them otherwise. So get your damn guts together, stop shivering like a girl and be who you always were. Just proud and always willing to face whatever challenge came on your path. So tell me, honestly. Are you that pathetic that you were able to handle any fysical challenge but as soon as it comes to a simple, plain, emotional challenge, you are going to back off?"

"I am not running away sensei..." He said softly in reply.

"Alright. Sorry for making such a fuss then. Just stay and have fun with us." Kakashi sighed. "Thats all you need to do."

"Stop whispering like that sensei." Neji said loud enough for everyone to hear. "You two look like a couple of huggling schoolgirls."

"Yeah, you look gay." Shouji added to that.

"Shut up Shouji." Neji and Shikamaru said at the same time.

Kakashi ruffled Naruto's hair. "Come on... Naruto." He said his name softly but emphasized. If he truly still was Naruto, he'd had to suck in, and stay there.

Naruto grinned for an instant. Kakashi was right. Besides, he never really cared what others thought of him now did he? He had been severely hurt by the people in the village ignoring him for his whole life with perhaps on three people ever seeing the true him. Kakashi, Iruka and Sasuke. The only ones even bothering to see through that shell of arrogance and the curse seal. Sasuke did..

Another bowl of steaming hot ramen was placed in front of him and he snapped a new pair of chopsticks. He deeply inhaled the steam coming from the bowl, catching a familiar scent with it. Glancing to his left for a second, he recognised the scent as being Sasuke's, blunt and cold as the jerk was, he still smelled familiar and smelled like something good. It was a scent he had forgotten it belonged to Sasuke. The smell of fresh rain after a hot summers day, the pure smell of a thunderstorm having passed. A smell that had always made him feel at ease and so it did now.

"Your training must've worsened Kakashi sensei. If a man sends you this guy only to learn the bunshin. So much for your jounin and anbu days."

The voice, the tone, the scowl. Naruto twitched. Kakashi sweatdropped. Sasuke. It was simply him. Cold, ignorant, arrogant, a plain old jerk. Nevertheless, it added to the feeling that he had sort of come home and he chuckled at the implied insult directed at their former teacher.

"Maybe I am better at other things. Maybe bunshin is the only thing left for me to learn." Naruto softly said with a smirk, glaring at Sasuke.

Kakashi could only think that it was just like old time, the brilliant fights that represented their violent but honest friendship so much had started again. Naruto would probably be beaten to a bloody pulp as always, but at least he apparently started to feel more at home already.

"That would mean you would be the dead last of this country to learn it."

Dead last.

Kakashi gulped and snickered softly, averting his face from the two young men, simply knowing that Naruto must be popping a vein right now.

"Heh, so if you think that way, you must have been the dead last in ever catching a ray of sunlight. You probably run inside your house bawling like a baby as soon as the light hits your skin."

Booyah. One point for Naruto there, everyone who was listening to their convo thought. It was starting to look like a verbal game of baseball and tennis with fastballs being hit to eachother to dodge or hit back.

"What good is a ninja, if he can't even go outside during the day.. " He added, his voice low and hoarse, all to add to his mockery.

Sasuke looked up from his bowl and glared at Naruto, smirking as he stared into his bright green eyes, obviously sparkling with the excitement of finding someone to have a good fight with.

He simply raised an eyebrow and narrowed his own eyes, leaning to Naruto's side and stopping a few inches from his face. He smirked as well, seeing that Naruto didn't move an inch.

"What good is a ninja, if he even can't do the simplest of moves at an age where he should be a jounin already?"

"Care to find out?" Naruto growled.

"Wow wow wow..." Chouji said with a smile on his face. "Looks like the prince has finally met his match."

Naruto looked at him.

"Prince?"

"Oh yeah! The so called prettiest and strongest ninja in the village, Uchiha Sasuke. Every girl wants him, every guy wants to be him, and nobody can beat him. Not with talking, not with fighting."

"I can kick his ass anytime." Sasuke said, turning back to his bowl of ramen.

"Keep dreaming. Because those dreams won't become real." Naruto replied to that challenge.

"Sometime a few years ago, I heard Sasuke complain how Naruto was always challenging him and how he grew tired of that. Then, we heard Sasuke complain how bored he was once Naruto was away. Now we finally accepted that he wouldnt return, we get a moron like this do exactly the same thing as he. How bothersome." Shikamaru thought up loud.

Everyone went silent.

Neji mumbled some words earning a glare from Shikamaru.

Chouji gulped down his fifth helping of ramen. "He sounds alright tho. Its been a while since we had someone here that could take him on. Or dared to take him on. Or simply didn't care."

"Only Naruto." Neji said.

Sasuke remained silent and stared at his bowl, almost too long even as Naruto seemed to see him stare like that without saying a word.

"Naruto was a ninja that left Konoha two years ago to defeat an inner demon, Ranaku." Kakashi explained to Naruto, securing his false identity for now.

"You guys must have liked him a lot. You talk a lot about him." Naruto asked the now silent group. It felt strange being talked about but on the other hand, it was strange to be talked about still after such a long time. So long, that he had thought or maybe even hoped, that everyone had forgotten about him.

"We hated him in fact." Neji said, confirming Naruto's fears again. "But he earned our respect. Sometimes by fighting his way to our heads and pummeling sense into them. Like he did to me."

"Or sometimes simply by being who he was. Damn loud-mouth, but he trusted his instincts and he always landed on his feet." Chouji said with a smile, being the only one Naruto never had quite had an influence on and he never needed his influence. He had gotten that by being friends with Shikamaru and Naruto himself.

"You made a smart point there Chouji." Neji said. "I'm going to remember this bright moment in history."

"Oh shut up."

"So.." Naruto began but was cut short by Shikamaru.

"He had left before we had the chance to tell him that." Shikamaru looked at Naruto for a long second. "He must still think everyone hates him."

"I still do." Sasuke said shortly.

"Whatever." Shikamaru replied in a sigh.

"You know Sasuke.." Kakashi said softly, tapping the young man on his shoulder to wake him up from his thoughts, making sure he had his full attention and everyone else's. "You two fought like kids always do with the ones they love the most." A short sentence, but heavy enough to make him hold his breath so he wouldn't laugh out loud, seeing the faces of everyone at Ichiraku.

Shikamaru and Neji looked at eachother for a second, then at Sasuke and then ending at Kakashi again, some sort of realisation flooding over their faces as they thought about it.

Chouji noticed the change in mood and as soon as he fully understood the double meaning in the sentence, he snickered and quickly reached for his glass of tea.

Sasuke had his eyes open wide, his face a shade of red so heavy that he looked like a boiled lobster. He couldn't think of any good reply and desperately tried to supress the blush that must have been incredibly apparent on his usual pale face.

Kakashi registered a change in chakra flow with Naruto, assuming he was adjusting his body temperature again. He stared at Kakashi for a second, then at Sasuke and then back at Kakashi again. He too was desperately fighting the blush that threatened to break through on face like it did on Sasuke. Good for him, the control of body temperature and chakra flow was enough to make the blush minimal enough so nobody would notice.

Gotcha. One point for me. Kakashi thought with a huge grin on his face.

"Just joking just joking!" he said, hoping for a change in reaction since everybody seemed to be frozen at the spot.

"Kakashi no baka!" Naruto blurted out. He quickly had to think up a way to cover for his heavy reaction. "Th.. Well.. You sound as if the two of them were lovers!"

"Nah. " His sensei said plainly, his inner self rolling on the floor laughing at the result of his little definition of the two. "They were just friends, but they never realised how close they were."

Naruto looked at his sensei again. Was he right? Couldn't be right... They werent friends like that. He would have wanted them to be tho, but somehow Sasuke always defied and ignored him. He couldn't be called a friend could he? Naruto had been able to call him a friend but as long as Sasuke didn't see him as a friend in return, that friendship would be worthless.

"Hn. As if he could see any of us as friends."

"What did you say Sasuke?" Kakashi asked, breaking Naruto from his thoughts. Partially, he was surprised that Sasuke seemed to open up and partially, he just wanted to see if he would say anything that could make Naruto see that he had had friends and that they still were friends, if he only opened up to them.

"He hated all of us didn't he. He wore a mask that made me believe he was a friend."

Naruto's jaw almost dropped to the floor there and then. Sasuke said right here, right now, that he had wanted him to be his friend but that it had been Naruto who had been unable to make real friends.

"Nevermind.." Sasuke said softly, finishing his bowl of ramen and putting down some money.

"Sasuke.. remember." Kakashi finally said, obviously having thought this revelation over. "You wore a mask as well."

"Hn. It doesn't matter now anyway." He said with a tone so bitter that Naruto almost forgot about his not wanting to expose himself already, shouting out that he was back, that he was a friend, that he had wanted to be friends, that it all had been a misunderstanding.

He held back though. Knowing that if he did, it would get more out of hand then it already did in his head.

"Later everyone, see ya Ranaku." he nodded to Naruto.

Everyone nodded and gave a short nod or waved. They never quite knew how to act when Sasuke acted bitter or so emotinal like this. Like always, they just heard it, thought about it shortly and ignored it.

As the night progressed, everyone seemed to have forgotten the dark presence that was Sasuke. As always, they only noticed it when he was around but having grown used to it, they never gave it a second thought. Naruto however, was extremely susceptible for behaviour like that. Simply because he hadn't talked to the dark boy for so long and simply because deep inside, he somehow always cared about what he thought.

After all, he had always wanted Sasuke to see him as an equal, as someone who was the same as him. Well.. not maybe exactly the same, but they werent that diffirent either were they? Both alone, both having to cope with inner demons in one way or the other and always wanting people to notice them. Naruto, because he wasn't the demon-fox everyone had thought him to be, simply because he didn't crush the village with his bare hands. Heck, he had barely been born by that time. And then there was Sasuke, who always wanted to be seen as an elite, as someone who could be great on himself, instead of having to depend on his father or the fame of his genius brother.

Two of the same backgrounds, the same inner demons and the same struggle of being seen.

And two completely diffirent ways of dealing with it.

It had become quite late as he and Kakashi left Ichiraku's that evening. It had been a lot of fun hearing the chattering of Chouji again mixed with the annoyed bickering and the few words of Neji, who had become quite good at giving back sharp remarks instead of simple insults. These three people, once so diffirent, seemed to be good friends now as long as you looked deeper into them. They had hardly changed, but the changes that they been through, had been for the good side. Instead of trying to outsmart or rival the other, they accepted what they were and what they could do. Simple as that.

On the road back, neither him or Kakashi said any word. Kakashi knew that Naruto had plenty to think about and seeing his eyes slowly change back from green to a deep ocean color to their usual bright blue, it had been a signal that his energy was running low from all the new impressions he had gotten.

Maybe now he could remember the good times and finally decide to reveal himself, instead of hiding away under this masquerade of being a ninja from a strange country. At least he would have more courage to venture into the streets and even if he decided to be like this a little longer, it seemed that he could make some contact again with his former classmates and become friends with them once again.

Then again, if he did that, it would all just be a big lie.

Leaving the village sure hadn't made things easier for him, but then again who did honestly believe that when Naruto did so things would become much easier and better for him?

Nobody actually. Hoped, maybe. Believed, no.


	8. 7 Nothing for it

I've been terribly lazy with warnings and disclaimers. I'm sorry bows

Pairing: none yet. But no worries, the next chapter WILL have shonen-ai. I just take a lot of time deepening the chara's out.

Warning: none, strong language maybe. Shonen-ai later on. No like, no read okies?

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Nops. If I did, I'd be buried alive in money and have kimimaro next to me in a silver string.

Holy hell.. I actually got reviews on this fic! blush I never expected that! Thank you all

**Review reactions:**

**Tsugath **

**This is one of the best "Naruto dissapears and then comes back" fics I've read**

**yet. Please make sure you finish it, it really has started out well.**

I will most definitely finish it, although it might take me some time. But no worries, I got a nice stash of chapters already. Pity is, that I cant even slightly guess how long it is going to be. Right now, I am working on chapter 16.

**hyperactivatoragain **

**The first few chapters where great but then I got seriously confused. You can't just change the main chara so drastickly like that or add so much confuseing interaction all at once. Straiten it out and claify some things and I'm sure I will enjoy your fic from now on.**

I knew the chapters would turn out to be confusing for some people, but it was part of my concept of writing it. I needed Naruto to be the same inside but different on the outside. If he was even the slightest the same, then his cover would have been blown instantly by his friends (or former teammates and friends as he sees it) I'll do my best to make the fic more clear for you.

**P-ch4n **

**WAH!! this is GOOD.. xD!!**

**i'd love to see how this turns out. :**

Sankyuuu! 

I hope you'll like the future chapters too!

**ghostninja85 **

**This is really good. You may get more reviews if you say that this is a SasuNaru (if it is, I hope so). Please continue. I can't wait until the next chapter.**

Aye.. boku wa baka no da! I know.. I was so stupid to forget to add the pairing in at the summary. He he, if you'll read on, you'll find out what the pairing is soon enough. But it is most certainly and mainly a sasunaru indeed. Sorry that I didn't warn y'all earlier. (maybe I did in the first few chaps but I know I've been slacking. Gomen!)

**slashergurl**

**This is actually a really good story! Why don't you have more reviews? Is it**

**going to be SasuNaru and KakaIru cause i luv those! if it is, you should put it in your story summary, I'm sure more people will click on it that way.**

Hi hi, like I said above, I'm kinda stupid to forget that . I hope I meet you wishes good enough later on grins yeah.. I think I can make you happy :3

**xcom1a**

**great sotry, adn great idea. please update soon. glad that you have already**

**got some of the sotry already plaaned out. i also don;t like unfinished**

**bussiness**

Me neither. I hate it when I read a fic and just when the story gets good, i have to wait for sometimes months for people to finish it. Oh well.. I'm doing my best to prevent that. You guys are only half-way now anyway, I'm at chap 16 already :3

_Chapter seven: Nothing for it.._

Much to Kakashi's relief and delight, it really didn't take them long to become friends again. Or at least take the first few steps to friendship, for the very next morning Chouji was already on his doorstep asking if he could take Ranaku out to the river. After all, if he was training in Konoha, he better had to be introduced to the other ninja's in the village. And, as the still chubby young man said, he thought that Ranaku would be fun to have around since he could stand his ground against Sasuke.

Looking to the sky, Kakashi was really relieved that he had asked for Ranaku to come with him. The sun wasn't even up high and it was already flaming hot. The 'too hot to train' excuse would work perfectly, he would have a day alone without Naruto hanging around him for hours and it'd be a great opportunity to renew his friendship with the guys. Even if it had to be in the shape of the tanned, dark-haired Ranaku.

Yup, nothing for it. Naruto had to go.

'Ah! You can't be serious sensei!' said ninja exclaimed at the proposal or rather, order.

'What?'

'Ah.. well, what am I supposed to do there?'

'Swim, talk, read, I don't care.'

'But everyone will be there right? What do I do with that then huh?'

'Your problem.' Kakashi said dryly.

'You're just stabbing me in the back..'

Kakashi looked up from his book for a second to see Naruto with his arms crossed and pouting like a little kid. He decided just to ignore it, as he used to do when the shinobi had been younger.

'Think what you may, but its your problem, not mine. You decide to hide, I decide you could stay here and now I'm ordering you out of the house. Deal with it. You're a grown-up so act like one and face what you should have faced in the beginning, your teammates and your friends.'

He got up from the window ledge and walked into his bedroom, rummaging in one of his closets as he heard Naruto mutter and come up with various excuses not to go there.

He was growing tired of the same old thing over and over again. He fished a huge white towel from one of his drawers and a black pair of swimming trunks and threw the bundle in Naruto's face.

'There. I'll see you sometime tonight again.'

'Kakashiii...' Naruto whined, looking at the bundle in his hands.

'See you tonight.' He simply said and pushed Naruto towards the door. 'Out. Now.'

Once Naruto was outside by an inch, he slammed his door shut and locked it. Naruto could come in through the window if he wanted, but the gesture of locking the door must have been enough to tell him not to return by tonight at least.

Naruto growled. Damn that Kakashi. Damn that Chouji. Damn that act with Sasuke yesterday. Damn him ever appearing in public. Damn me and my issues, he thought immediately afterwards.

And so it came that he changed his eye-color again and headed for the riverside, where he knew he would meet everyone else. It was like history repeating. The same heat as the day he left, the same rotten feeling of having to face people and feelings he didn't want. But on that same, to him historic day, he had also felt excited. Was there something to be excited about today as well? Yeah well.. maybe there was. Sakura was still in the village after all.

It was really hot.. He sighed as he once again decided to change his chakra flow to match the heat. More chakra and energy going to be wasted. Oh yeah, this day was going to be fun.. something as simple as swimming never seemed so complicated as it was now.

The complicated situation only became worse when he arrived at the scene of doom, as he by now had come to think of it. On the same old familiar rocks were the exact same people as there were on that day.

Neji and Hinata sitting in the shadow to prevent their sensitive white skins from being roasted alive, Chouji making cannon-balls in the deeper parts of the river, Shikamaru lying on his back staring at the clouds, Lee flexing his muscles and showing off, Shino gathering new bugs and having fun by making his pets do tricks. Ino was sitting beside him and pointing at them with a smile.

Naruto stood there and watched them from a distance. They all changed so much somehow. Lee was incredibly tall now and tanned. He had tossed the hideous green bodysuit aside and didn't even wear anything green now. Instead, he wore a deep crimson pair of shorts and a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His muscles had developed over the past two years apparently as they bulged up with every move he made. Muscular, was the best way to describe him, not bulky, just muscular. And his hair! Naruto blinked and had to look twice. From the front, he appeared to have the same bob-style hair that he had always had. But when he turned around to say something to Neji behind him, a large braid appeared on his back, reaching just above his butt. Still pitch-black, it shimmered in the hot summer sun and Naruto wondered who had gotten him so crazy as to grow his hair that long.

Hinata was still a shy girl, as she sat there just watching everyone around her. She still wore her cream-colored clothes, now in the form of a deep-cut bathing suit. The only thing that had appeared to be diffirent on her on the outside was that her body had grown more curved and feminine and she had cut her trademark bangs on the side of her face.

Ino was the same as she used to be. Her hair extremely long and blonde and her body still extremely skinny. She looked up from Shino's bugs and looked straight at Naruto and waved at him. He was startled to see that. She didn't recognise him did she? Did she even know about him?

He slowly raised his hand to wave back at her, unsure why she was waving at him and if he should return the greeting.

'Ohayo Ino!' A loud voice came from behind him, so loud that it made him cringe at first, his ears still being senstive and used to just the sounds of people talking and the wind whispering.

He turned around and saw a slender tall girl standing next to Sasuke, who was slightly snickering at him cringing at the loud voice.

Apparently Sakura still had a voice that could shatter glass. But that was almost all about her that had remained the same. Alright, her haircolor was till the same, tooth-achingly pink, although now it was cut short like she had during the chuunin exam. Other than that, she had grown tall, her eyes had become more slender as well. Naruto gulped. She had turned from a girl into a woman now, her body curved and soft instead of the flat and angular kind of body she used to have as a girl.

'Oh! Hi there! You must be Ranaku right?' She beamed and held out a hand to shake with his. 'Sasuke already told me about a new ninja in the village. I'm Sakura.' She smiled at him and the summer sun instantly became hotter that moment.

He shook her hand in a daze, staring at her minty eyes that seemed to light up as the sun shone in them.

But as soon as he had touched her hand and lowered his temperature for an instant, he slid his eyes over to the person next to her. Sasuke. He stood there with his usual ignoring face like a black and white image. His white skin and black clothes contrasting even more in the bright light. So he had told her about already huh? So they came to the water together, side by side as if it never was any diffirent.

Naruto looked down for a second. So that was how it was. They were together now. All the positive thoughts he had worked so hard on to gather, now were disappearing like snowcrystals in the summer sun. He was about to turn back to Kakashi or some tree to spend the day in, rather than staying around these two and being confronted by his disappointment, when he felt a small tap on his shoulder.

'Hey hey, are you going to join us at the water side?' Sakura asked him. She must have thought he was an idiot, how he was fazing out on them like that.

'Ah.. uh.. yeah.' He stuttered.

'Left your wit in your bed this morning?' Sasuke asked him, a smirk on his face.

'Huh?' Naruto wondered out loud. Forgetting about the disappointment, he smirked as well. 'Naw, I gave it a day off since there would be no real challenge around me anyway.' He bounced the challenge right back at the dark haired young man. This game was on!

Sakura looked from Naruto to Sasuke and then back again.

'Guys.. We're here to have fun alright?' She asked, slightly worried at the hostility between the two boys.

'Oh, I'll sure have a lot of fun if I'm around such a beautiful girl like you.' Naruto said, making Sakura blush to no end. Damn that Sasuke! The bastard brought the bad guy up in himself and made him say things he would normally never say. Only to bug him or in this case, make him dead jealous. He grinned as he thought about if he played it right, he could steal her away from that damn Sasuke.

Even so, his mind screamed at him how he had ever been able to pull out a sentence like that to the girl he had had an eternal crush on.

Sentence worked, he thought as he pulled out his most radiant smile to show her, seeing the dark clouds starting to loom over Sasuke's head.

'Lets go!' He yelled.

This could be fun! Sasuke would be a nice challenge to use to get through the day. He could try to outsmart him, try to steal Sakura away, try to impress the other girls and guys there with his strength and speed and show them that their so-called prince wasn't as good as they thought he was.

Still wanting to outdo him right Naruto? A soft voice inside him said. Just like old times, he replied to it.


	9. 8 Reflect

I've been terribly lazy with warnings and disclaimers. I'm sorry bows and this one must have one of the lamest titles ever. Sorry again..

Pairing: Not going to tell you. Okay.. I will.. Neji/Lee. Not the main pairing in the over all of the fic, but still quite present in this chapter. Skip it if ya don't like. Its not THAT bad.. but I do know some people hate seeing Lee in a pairing. And I figured it was perfect for the story.

Warning: shonen-ai, possible OOC. Neji was a bitch to write after figuring how he could be after two years. So that might offend you. Gomen.. I did my best..

Second warning: things will go rollercoaster soon

Disclaimer: I don't own them. Nops. If I did, I'd be buried alive in money and have kimimaro next to me in a silver string.

_Chapter eight: Reflect and be amazed_

When he got to the waterside, everyone looked up at the tanned tall stranger that was bickering with Sasuke and smiling at Sakura.

'Oy! Ranaku!' Chouji exclaimed from the water. 'Great that you're joining us! You better have brought some food with ya!'

Shikamaru sat up straight and looked at Naruto, grinning faintly at the scene of the two young men stopping their verbal fight and one waving at the group while the other one only lifted his hand in greeting. Predictable, the young jounin thought as he laid back to stare at the clouds above him.

Lee came running over to Sakura, much to Naruto's dismay. He too.. had been another suitor to Sakura.

But he almost dismissed that thought as he saw that Lee didn't even show the slightest of interest in Sakura and immediately turned to him instead. He swayed his long braid back in a smooth move of his hand and held out same hand to greet him.

'Hiya! I'm Rock Lee, you must be Ranaku right?'

Naruto was startled. One reason for that was that the news of his arrival had spread like wildfire around the village apparently and secondly, because the voice coming from the ninja was much deeper and full than it used to be in his memories. When he was younger, Lee had a high pitched clear voice, now it was much more like Sasuke's, whose voice had hardly changed. It was deep and silky now and he could imagine for an instance what that voice could do to girls if he used it as a whisper, probably mesmerising them with its smoothness.

'Yeah, Ranaku Yato. Nice to meet you.' He said with a smile, feeling strange of having to introduce himself again to a person he had known for years. Once again, he was glad his change in looks worked that well but also feeling ashamed to be fooling someone that had been honesty in person himself.

'Yato..' Rock Lee sucked in air through his teeth as he was thinking hard. He had heard that name before but he couldn't quite cut it to where he knew it from.

'Yato..' Neji repeated in a low voice from where he was sitting in the shade, looking at the small group. 'A blade in the night.'

Lee turned around to look at him and nodded.

'Am I right? Ranaku?' It still felt strange to be called by that stupid name, but hey, Naruto had chosen it himself so had better get used to it.

'Yeah.' He grinned, he never imagined they would know the meaning of that word. It had actually been his name in the village he had come across and worked for as a ninja to earn some money or food as he travelled around the country in training. The only ninja that could see so well in the night that he never missed a target with his kunai's. A silver blade in the night, it had been his nickname and later he continued to use it in other villages.

'Wasn't there a ninja called like that a while ago that Iruka spoke of?' Lee asked Neji.

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. Surely, he had done some missions that he wasn't too proud of but he had needed the money. Did his history of that reach Konoha?

Neji sighed, apparently digging deep in his memory for some information about a ninja with that name.

'Yeah.. something about a ninja being so fast in the dark that he appeared to be like a blade in the night.' He said, lifting his eyes up to look at Naruto, wondering if he was the same ninja Iruka had talked about.

'That guy is a myth.' Sasuke said, shaking his head shortly. 'Nobody really saw him...'

'Because he was so fast nobody could see him!' Lee said enthousiastically, as always fascinated by stories of ninja that were beyond human.

'Sure. But nobody really saw him and besides, look at Ranaku. ' He nudged his head to Naruto and ignored Lee's protests. 'The guy can't even do a bunshin so I doubt he would be that Yato you are talking about.'

So much for asking them to call him Yato from now on, Naruto thought with a little sigh. Would be a dead give-away probably.

'Besides, ' He continued. 'Yato is a very common name isn't it?'

'True..' Lee agreed, looking down, almost disappointed that the myth was a myth and not this tanned new guy in front of him.

'So what is it Ranaku-san? Yato or Ranaku?' Sakura asked him with a smile.

'Either is fine.'

'Yato is too much credit.' Sasuke decided with a smirk, making Naruto twitch at that remark.

'Fine.' He said, crossing his arms. He'll get him back for that insult and he just knew the way how. 'Just call me Ranaku alright fan-boy?' He added with a smirk as well as he saw Sasuke cringe lightly at the exagerrated use of his family name.

Sakura sweatdropped as she saw lighting flash between the two young men's eyes, figuratively speaking.

'You really do sound like a married couple already.' Shikamaru said, having overheard the whole conversation.

Both men immediately stopped staring in eachothers eyes and exchanging death glares, both slightly blushing, mumbling 'Shut up.'

Whatever, they both seemed to think, unrolling their towels side by side.

Lee nodded in approvement and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a slightly tanned and muscular chest. He walked over to Neji, grabbed him by his arm and pulled him to his feet. As he walked past Sakura, he grabbed her too and pulled them with him into the water.

Naruto looked at them. Neji had never been so passive like this and he had thought the white-eyed boy would have struggled against Lee, but he just complied and let himself be dragged into the clear mountain stream. He chuckled as he saw Sakura dive in first and coming back to the surface, splashing both guys with handsful of cold water. Neji cringed and dove in himself, Lee accepted the challenge and splashed her back as well.

Not planning on going in the water already, Naruto just sat on his towel and looked around him. In an instant, Ino was next to him smiling and nodding slightly with her head in greeting.

'Nevermind Sasuke Ranaku. ' She said with a smile. 'He's always like this. Hi, I'm Ino.'

'Nice to meet you too.' He said with a polite smile as well. He looked on his other side where Sasuke was undressing to join the small group in the water. When he was away, he turned to Ino again, who had now folded her knees to her chest and was looking at the water fight between Sakura and lee.

'They seem close.' He said, hoping she could tell him about Sakura.

'Yeah. Somehow those two have always been very close.' She started, once again raising fear in Naruto that maybe these two were a couple instead of Sakura and Sasuke.

'Then again, somehow is the wrong word.' She added.

'Hm? Howcome?' He wondered out loud.

'Oh, well... since she passed the medical exam she has always been the one to heal him or advise him at training. He hardly lets anyone else heal him, knowing that she just knows perfectly what is the matter with him without him having to explain everything. Like they have some sort of connection. I guess that ties them together this much.'

'So a happy couple huh?' He sighed. As he thought..

She laughed, causing him to raise an eyebrow at that.

'Oh no.. ' She giggled. 'They are not a couple. Just soulmates maybe. Lee.. he gave up on girls a long while ago.'

Naruto almost choked.

'What?'

'Yeah. At a certain point, he just wasn't interested in them anymore and he found someone else.' She nodded to the water.

'You mean he's.. you know..' He didn't want to finish the sentence.

'Well.. yeah. But what is wrong with that? Look at how happy they are, and thats all that matters. Well, thats what the most of us think anyway.' She looked at him and then nudged her head to the waterline again.

He followed her look, seeing Lee falling back in the water, having slipped on a rock. He pulled Neji with him in his fall and he laughed out loud, Neji himself chuckling at his clumsiness. When the water subdued a bit, they were still lying back in the water with Neji stroking a lock of black hair out of Lee's face and looking at him with an almost tender expression.

Naruto's eyes could hardly believe what he saw. Such an open display of affection! From Neji no less, and with Lee!

'You mean.. Neji and Lee are..' He stammered.

'Yup. For almost two years now. Call it opposites attract. Neji was a genius at ninjutsu and genjutsu, Lee was a genius at taijutsu and they always rivaled eachother. Then one day, as I heard it, they figured out that they were two pieces in a puzzle that fit perfectly when they were together. And Neji had been taught an important lesson by Naruto, he isn't here anymore, namely that everyone was strong in their own way and that each of them made their own fate by their own decisions. I guess he started to respect Lee from that moment on and they became vast friends.' She went silent for a moment and looked at them again, exchanging a quick shy kiss.

Naruto witnessed it all with his jaw on the ground. He never expected that. He never thought that his fight with Neji would have had such an impact. He never thought, though he did hope, that they would come to respect eachother that much that their friendship turned into a love for all to see.

'Neji taught Lee how to train as well and even developed some new moves for him. Lee taught Neji how to open up and be honest with himself and everyone else. Guess they fitted like a glove.' She smiled. 'Oh well.. thats what we can all see right?'

'Yeah..' Naruto softly said, shocked by this revelation and touched by their tenderness and honesty with eachother. He chuckled, Neji, who was always cold and ignorant, could apparently display love as well. Love for another man no less. Well.. maybe that wasn't such a shock after all, when did Neji look at girls anyway?

'Do you mind Ranaku-san?' Ino asked him since he was an outsider.

'Please, just call me Ranaku.' He asked her. 'And no, I don't mind. I'm just surprised I guess..'

'Yeah, I can see why. Neji isn't the most accesable of persons as you must have noticed by now.'

'Yeah. Heh, they seem really happy together ne?' He stated with a smile as the fight over the biggest splash continued, now focused on a shivery Sasuke who had managed to get into the water to his knees, holding his hands up high to prevent them from getting wet, as if the cold water was pure poison to his skin.

'Yup. And as far as I am concerned, thats the only thing that matters. Love is love after all. Want a drink?' She asked him, holding a bottle of faintly yellow liquid in front of him.

He accepted it and examined the bottle for its contents.

'Iced chamomile tea with lemon and mint. Made from flowers from our shop.' She said, taking a sip of her own bottle.

He took a sip as well. The liquid was cold and sweet, feeling like heaven in a bottle as it flowed down his throat. Double cold of the mint and ice in it, perfect on a day as hot as this.

'Well, I'm going out for a swim.' She stated and put her bottle away. 'Hope to talk to you later!' She smiled and ran to the group in the water, joining them in the struggle over who could get the prince underwater the first.

He looked at them. Neji and Lee.. who would have thought that? He thought with smile. But now that he thought about it, it made perfectly sense. Like black and white, they matched perfectly.

He thought about his own rivalry with Sasuke. They were quite like them in a way, so black and so white as well. But Sasuke had never respected him really did he? Sasuke could never have...

He shook his head in shock and quickly took another bit of his tea, almost choking in it. Did he really want that Sasuke had respected him like Neji had eventually Rock Lee? Did he really want it to go the same way as it went with them? Love... such a strange and painful concept. Che. No bloody way. Sasuke was a jerk, he had always hated Naruto, he had always mocked him or teased him. He never showed a single sign of affection or friendship did he, let alone maybe even love.. wait a second.. And if he did.. did he? Ah no..

He buried his hands deep in his hair and looked in front of him, where the young dark-haired man was finally pushed down under the water and came up coughing, loudly exclaiming he would get revenge, lunging at his attackers.

What was he thinking? At this moment, had he really wished that Sasuke had loved him? Him, of all people and a guy even! Still... he did look good with the water trickling down over his broad pale-skinned back like small crystals. Sasuke might have been the only one to understand his feelings and trauma's, having them himself. He could very well be the only one possible to truly know what Naruto thought or wanted to say without even saying a word. Black and white. Opposites attract, freaks flock together, fighting is a way of showing affection between friends. He shook his head. No way. No damn way. Don't get carried away by Ino's tale Naruto, he thought to himself as he laid back to tear himself away from the scene in the water, Neji and Lee fighting Sasuke side by side, Sakura laughing with him as she tried to defend him in the fight.

He covered his ears but it didn't help, he could still hear Sasuke's laughter in his head, mingled with Sakura's. It was like he had heard them that day when he left. What was he thinking..

But as he looked up at the clouds, he heard Kakashi's voice inside his head and what he had said the evening before.

"You two fought like kids always do with the ones they love the most."


	10. 9 Blood Red

_Chapter nine: Blood red_

Hi everyone, you guys ready for a rollercoaster ride? Things will speed up a little from here

Oh, and I think I have to remind you all (just to feel better just warning you) that I'm not English. I don't speak the language daily nor write it daily (well, perhaps on fiction but that's different) so it might just be full of holes and spelling mistakes. Please forgive me those, since I don't have a beta either ;;

_**Reviews ( and so many! 00)**_

From: Tsugath

YAY! More chapters. Nice character development on Naruto.

_Thanks! I was really worried about that._

From: Kitty

it's funny

keep it up

_I'm trying _

From: Yoko-obssessor

GREAT FIC! I LOVE IT! you have to update ASAP. congrats on making it so good.

_Thanks for liking/loving it! That's what I want Oh! And looky, an update :3_

From: ghostninja85

I see that Naruto's discovery of Lee and Neji's relationship has forced him to

make a few revelations of his own. I'm interested in finding out where this

goes. Update soon! I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

_I hope I won't disappoint you . I wanted to make Naruto's own doubts to seem natural and my bad, I just wanted to have Lee and Neji together. But they provided a good reason to glue his thoughts together I guess._

From: someone

i love the story so far! Please continue it! Although a few questions I do have are what about Naruto's seal? Did he gain control of Kyuubi? and what about his arm?

_He injured his arm while he was away, that's why he returned to Konoha at first. I can't say anything about the seal right now since its going to play a big role from now on. So please read and keep on liking it! I really appreciate that you asked those questions Just what I was aiming for!_

From: maladyrancor

Hey! Absolutely wonderful story! I love the characterization and the tension you build with Naruto's new personality. There are so many questions left

unanswered, and I just do hope you hurry up and update soon!

I'm adding this to my favorite stories list because I truly believe that this

story deserves as much credit as it gets

_Thank you for your comment! I'm really happy that people think I do a good job on the character development. I tend to go quite out of character sometimes and the danger was extra great with a story like this and a person like Naruto._

_And thanks for adding it! You won't believe how hard I screamed when I just read that ;;  shiawase!_

From: animelvr4evr

omg..this is good!! ur gonna make it naruxsasu rittee? - plzz lol

_He he, what do you think its gonna be? :P I hope I wont go to slow for your tastes but believe, it'll be yaoi. Oh yesss it willsss be yaoi.. grin_

From: slashergurl

Aw... Naruto is finally getting the picture. Will the gang find out Ranaku's

identity soon? Naruto is the person in the myth right?

_He'll explain soon enough. (not sure if it was this chapter or the next one tho..) And about finding his identity out.. well.. I'm currently working on those chapters. I hope its soon enough for you tastes, please keep reading . And tell me if I should speed up or not._

From: KiraKit0388

WOW, nice job! I really like how detailed your story is. The plot is really well developed and the grammar is so good I don't have to take time to figure out a word because it's spelled incorrectly. You're doing such a good job, especially because this isn't even your native language. I'm impressed. You could give a lot of the regular English speakers around here lessons. Oh, and I just read all 9 Chapters, cool. Hopefully there will be new chapters up soon. Good job and keep up the good work!

_Thank you so much! I really could hug you for that comment! And I just updated it ne? I hope you will like it still and I'll try to update more often. I hope you'll like the new chapters :3_

From: Tsugath

This is one of the best "Naruto dissapears and then comes back" fics I've read

yet. Please make sure you finish it, it really has started out well.

Thank you! I know there are so many of those fics around so I was really worried that mine would be just another. Its great to hear from someone who likes it amongst all the dozens of fics! And I will finish it, don't worry. I hate unfinished business ;; Although I haven't even thought about the ending yet.. (oops)

Now, lets get on with it.

Pairings: implied kakashi/iruka and sasuke/naruto ( I bet you guys figured what this fic was about by now)

Warnings: language (I guess), violence, angst

Disclaimer: oooh well.. I don't own them. I do own their kage bunshin's in my head and those are the ones yer reading right now.

Chapter Nine: Blood Red

"Kakashi.." Iruka softly said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Hn.." The older ninja hummed.

"How is it going?"

"Hn.."

"Kakashi.. wake up already."

"Hn.. Hn?" The grey haired man finally looked up.

"You haven't heard a word I said right?"

"Ah.. um.. no." He softly said, returning to his previous pose, arms folded and looking out at the window. He hardly noticed that Iruka took a step and stood next to him, shoulder to shoulder.

"Care to tell me?"

"Hn.."

Iruka sighed. Fine then.

"Y'know, I wonder about Naruto. He's taking too much time and effort to keep himself hidden from everyone and I cant figure out why he does that. He changed his hair, his clothes, his name, the way he talks and last time I saw him, he was looking in the mirror studying the right color of his eyes, the color that nobody would expect or recognize as being Naruto's."

"Hn.."

"And now he is reluctantly trying to become friends with people who are already his friends if he simply would show himself."

"Kyuubi."

"Eh?"

"The kyuubi.. It could be his work. After all, we don't know what exactly happened in those two years that he was away. Who knows what he has to go through, what lies he had to face when defeating him."

"Did he defeat him?"

Kakashi raised his head and looked at Iruka beside him.

"Did he Kakashi? Did he really defeat him?"

The jounin sighed and looked outside to the river again. Today was a hot day. Everyone was outside at the river, having fun by the cold stream from the mountains. He could faintly make out sakura's pink hair and the bleached color of Ino.

"I don't know.." He walked away from the window and stopped a few steps later, his hand resting on the table where a small kunai with a cut-open bottle of hair-dye laid. He had dyed his hair again this morning. Not that he had needed to, but he still had done it, just to be sure, like he had said to his teacher.

Kakashi picked it up and read the label.

"Oh.. Oh no.." He softly said, his head jerking up in a realization.

"What?" Iruka asked him, wondering about the sudden change in mood, but Kakashi didn't even hear him anymore as he raced out of the door and headed to the small river, followed by Iruka on his heels.

Stop laughing, stop talking, stop making such a noise, go away.. Naruto pressed his hands even harder against his ears to filter out the sound of the people around him but especially Sasuke's low laughter and voice that seemed to seep into his head no matter how hard he tried to block it out. Even when he wanted to be alone in silence, the boy was still a nuisance.

He opened his eyes and looked at the bright blue sky above him, the color he favored over his current green eyes. He wanted to drop his act, be normal and be gone from this village and all its confusions and problems that lingered in every single thing in Konoha.

He clenched them shut again. See what I mean? Even the blue sky gave him problems, reminding him of this stupid act. Just the sky and its color itself made things harder for him. For a second he wished he hadn't come here at all, that he had rather walked around with a beaten arm that would never have healed correctly and he would never have been able to use it again like he should. For a second, he wished he had stayed in one of the mountains all on his own.

Like this, he only caused problems for himself and everyone else around him, lying his way out of his return, too scared to face the people around him. He only caused problem for Kakashi and Iruka, probably making them worry about him and forcing them to take care of him and his cover.

Like this, he lied to people he would have never lied to otherwise..

Since when had he become such a coward? Since when had he been so messed up inside that he didn't even dare to reveal himself to people he had shared his life with for so long. Since when did he think so much about it anyway?

Maybe, since the day he first thought of how sakura and Sasuke were doing and he longed to return to Konoha. The first time loneliness truly struck him. True, he had been alone all his life, thanks to that damn demon inside his body when everybody denied him. But at a certain point in his training alone, he had been alone and he had realised that he hadn't been in konoha. Even Sasuke had, even if it was a little, denied the demon inside of him and treated him like the normal human being he was. In the desert, in the mountains, the forest or anywhere, he had been miles away from the nearest human being and he had been alone.

That's where his mind had taken over and had raged on with thoughts and assumptions. The dark side of a mind alone.

And it was wearing him out. Kakashi might have been right. Perhaps the biggest challenge and the last thing to do for training was this, just returning and dealing with everyone around him again. An emotional mission and for a long time he thought there hadn't been a mission he couldn't handle. But a simple thing like this felt like it was way over his head. A long way over his head..

He suddenly gasped for air and his eyes shot wide open as something extremely cold hit his chakra filled heated skin. But even with his eyes wide open, he was so shocked and furious that he didn't see anything.

He growled and sat up on his knees, his hands and arms ready to attack anything that was nearby. He didn't even notice that his nails had grown a bit into sharp points and his hair stood on end like a threatened cat. His eyes felt like they were on fire and his whole body flowed with energy as he got ready to just slash his attackers throat when he looked around to see what had happened, mind on red alert.

When a second small drop hit his shoulder, he jumped up and immediately lashed out the direction it was coming from.

He heard a low thud and someone scream when he realized what he was doing, finally reason taking over on instincts.

He looked at his hands and noticed his claws and back up his arm where a long wet dark brown trail led back up his shoulder, his hands were stained with bright red blood. His hair was dripping wet and the dye was trickling down his arms. He forgot about the blood on his hands, having seen it a thousand times before but instead worried more about his cover being blown. Shocked, he looked up to see if anyone had noticed it, but instead he immediately saw something that demanded all his attention at that moment.

Next to him he saw a slender pale figure sprawled out on the ground, the skin tainted a deep red where four long cuts had ripped the skin open and blood was flowing out.

"Dammit.." He heard the person groan, now noticing the deep black hair and the low voice.

Sasuke.

He tried to sit up straight to look at Naruto, kicking the small bottle away at his feet to have more room to move in. But the second he tried to push himself up, he used his chest muscles and another gush of blood was pumped out of his chest.

Sasuke.. He had hit Sasuke.. Naruto panicked. He never meant to do that! He never meant to put so much strength in his move that he could see the blood flowing out of him by every beat his heart made.

He wanted to get up and apologize, pick him and rush him to a hospital, shout at him for dumping something cold on him, scream at him that he hadn't meant it. But as he got up, he saw sakura running to Sasuke in panic and he remembered that she was now a medical specialist.

Drops of tainted water trickled down his arms and chest as he got up to run to Sasuke and help him.

A choice. A simple but fatal choice now.

He knew he could make the bleeding stop by cooling Sasuke down that much that the blood would stop flowing out in that alarming rate and buying sakura time to heal the wounds. Or keep that chakra and make his hair black again without the dye, demanding a great level of concentration.

"Keep still, don't move. The bleeding will go slower if you don't move a single muscle." Sakura huffed from the quick sprint to him. Sasuke groaned and nodded slowly. She looked up at Naruto for a split second.

He didn't even think anymore as he jumped up to sit next to Sasuke and focused his chakra in his hand and softly touched his shoulder.

"Keep still. This will feel a little weird." He whispered and let the chakra flow into the tissue.

'Trying to kill me? I never thought you hated me that much Ranaku." Sasuke coughed and glared at him, hissing at the sudden cold. "Damn it.."

"I don't."

Sakura looked at him and tried to focus all her energy into her hands above the wounds, trying to close them.

"Dammit.. "She hissed. "The blood is flowing to fast."

"Just wait." Naruto told her. "Dammit.. I never.. Dammit.." He mumbled.

Sasuke started to shiver, startling sakura. Someone shivering in the heat of a summer's day, that was always bad news. Blood loss.

"Not.. healing.. fast enough." She said, biting her bottom lip. She could heal any wound, but could she heal it before his body had lost all the blood by the huge lashes in the chest, the heat only adding to the problem as it made blood flow like water.

"Just hold on. Just a little longer."

"We are running out of time! What are you doing?" She glared at Naruto. "Get away from him! You are just killing him by either that thing you're doing or by preventing me space to heal him."

"Would you just shut up and trust me?" He yelled at her. "Not fast enough, damn."

"Get away!"

Sasuke slowly felt drained and woozy from the blood loss, but he managed to grab a lock of sakura's hair and look at her.

"Let him.." He said in a hoarse voice, soft enough to be a whisper before he slid away in unconsciousness.

"Sasuke! He is killing you! Don't you.." She stopped in the middle of her sentence. His body was growing cold and her heart skipped a beat. It felt like he was dying, the warmth of his life leaving his body as he was running out of blood fast.

But then she realized that it came from a certain point, exactly where Naruto's hand was. The blood slowed down and the wounds began to close as they finally had the time to process her chakra flow and slide the skin together to seal the wound.

"Don't worry." Naruto smiled, relieved that it was helping, seeing the wounds almost closed now and he pulled his hand away. "He's alright.."

He knew he had said that but his mind seemed to scream out in worry if he really was alright. What if the cold had been too much? What if that cold really wasn't his but was Sasuke's body becoming cold because all the warm blood had left his body?

"That cold.." She whispered. She touched Sasuke's skin and was shocked at the low temperature. For a second she thought he had died and that she had been too late to heal him.

But Naruto smiled and slid a hand through Sasuke's black locks. It was then that she noticed that Sasuke was just sleeping, just unconscious. Slowly but steadily, heat returned to his body as it lost the cold and the blood flowed freely again.

She sighed in relief. It appeared like nothing had happened at all. Not even a scar betrayed the place of where the four cuts had been.

Naruto lowered his head inches from Sasuke's forehead. He wanted to scream out he was sorry, feeling so relieved that it now was alright. But the fact remained, he had cut Sasuke so deep that it had almost been fatal. He wanted to cry out loud, feeling so guilty that he almost couldn't bear it.

Sasuke almost died on him again, but this time by his hands. He never knew it would have such an impact on him but it did, just like the first time. It felt like someone had squeezed his heart, stopping his blood from flowing in veins as an unbearable pain had soared to his head. The pain of someone he loved dying in front if his eyes, now for a second time.

He didn't care for sakura being there, staring at him unbelief. For her, he was a stranger that had never known Sasuke and now showed such care for him that it didn't make any sense. All Naruto wanted now was to hold him and say sorry over and over again, for all he cared, he would say it a lifetime, being the cause of him almost dying a second time.

"What is going on here?" Kakashi yelled at the small group, so loud that he would have heard it if he had been a mile away. It was then that he noticed the dark drops on Sasuke's face as the dye in his hair flowed out.

Naruto shot back and summoned the last bit of chakra in his body to his hair and eyes, feeling pathetic that at a time like this, he still worried about his appearance and the possibility of blowing his cover.

"Ranaku.." He heard sakura stammer as she got to her feet. "He lashed out and cut Sasuke across the chest.."

He refused to look up, knowing that Kakashi would be looking at him in disappointment and anger.

'Cut him??"

So Iruka was there too huh? Oh jeez...

"Yeah.. It must be his nails that cut him. But I never knew he would have cut him like that. So deep.." She sighed.

Iruka sank to his knees and picked Sasuke up, still unconscious.

"Ranaku. We need to talk. Now." Kakashi hissed.

"Sensei.." Sakura softly said, maybe too soft for him to hear.

"Yeah." Naruto replied in a flat tone as he got up to his feet. And surely, there was Kakashi looking at him with his arms crossed, his visible black eye shooting fire in fury. Iruka looked at him in disappointment and confusion as he turned around to take Sasuke to the nearby hospital. Around them were all the other konoha ninja's staring at him in disbelief and fear.

So.., he thought, this is it. This was the end for him. He would be banned from konoha forever and return to his life of loneliness in a place nobody ever heard off. He deserved it. He nearly killed the only person that maybe acknowledged him for what he was worth. Even if he himself didn't realise it.

"Sensei.." She said again.

"What?" He barked at her.

"I.. Its also thanks to Ranaku that he is alive right now."

"What?"

Naruto blinked. He had almost killed him! No credit should go to him..

"He cooled him down and stopped the blood from flowing just long enough to enable me to close the wounds and stop the bleeding in all."

Kakashi dropped his arms and looked at Naruto.

"You see.. if you cool blood down enough, it slows down. And now it slowed down just enough to keep him from bleeding to death and the wounds from reopening." She continued, slowly sitting down on a rock nearby. "So I could seal them again."

"Ranaku. Go home and wait there. Don't leave the house, do nothing until I return you hear me?" Kakashi growled.

Naruto nodded slowly and started running. As he ran, he felt drained and didn't bother to keep up his jutsu's anymore. He dropped the color of his eyes and hair and the chakra around him. He kept on running until he reached the house and slammed the door closed behind him. He sank to the ground against it and softly tears started to flow down his face and he didn't care. He didn't care about anything anymore right now.


	11. 10 Blood on my hands, Naruto does not ex...

Wow, I got reviews again! I'm always so surprised when people send a review

From: Yoko-obssessor

I love it! so good. must. read. more. PLease write more.

I am and I will. :3 Though I am falling behind on schedule now.. I'm at chapter 17..

From: Honou( )

I love U! i love this story. it's like the best naruto fic that is not that ooc that i have read. (or way westernised for my comfort.) and that's hard. Really hard. considering naruto angsting is one of the hardest thing to write while trying to keep it in character. i love this fic and i am reviewing and that is a rare thing cos i only review when it's worth it. (not even the best writers can get me to review, i will only review when i feel like it which is xtremely rare. p.s this is the first time i cant log in for a signed review and still go through with it.) keep it up, and update fast, n i'll just be waiting with starry eyes with each update. u've got urself an avid fan.

_Oooooooh.. So much praise.. Unbelievable. Thank you so much! Dammit, you give me too much credit. twirl twirl blush But it seems I've reached my target, writing a non-OOC Naruto. Wai! That must be the biggest compliment I could get!_

From: KiraKit0388

Naruto is so depressedcuddles Naruto-plushie. Nice job! Last review I was so busy saying how nice it was I didn't suggest anything!.; Oops, but I will now. The grammar, etc is excellent againTHANKYOU SO MUCH FOR THAT ...Hm, maybe you could have Naruto bring up some of his past 2 years with Kakashi. I'm dying to know about it! Like when he was Yato or how he busted his arm or how he learned some of those techniquesit's killing me!. If you ever need someone to edit something you can definitely email me if you want to :Bye!

_nod nod I could do that. Yeah, I guess I could do that soon :3. Hm.. Choices are tough.. yaoi first or explanation first. XD_

From: The Sisters of Chaos: W/D

I love this story! Please write more soon!

_Thank you! I will _

From: someone( )

YAY! You updated! I can't wait untill the next chapter! What happens next? wil

he be scolded by Kakashi?

_Read on and find out _

From: animelvr4evr

aw por naruto -- n e wais, i dont care how long u gonna take to make this more yaoiy lol but i'll wait -

_Soon, I promise that you'll read yaoi very soon. Its tough making it go smooth but I think I found a nice way to make that transition look natural _

From: 

WHAA! How sad for Naruto. I guess now Kakashi is going to spill the beans? I

hate to do this, but can ya HURRY UP with the next chapter??

_He he, I admit that I kinda intended on taking long before updating. My bad. School is chaos and I am sadistic enough to leave with a cliffhanger. No matter tho, I updated!_

From: ghostninja85

Whoa. Poor Naruto (and in retrospect Sasuke- who wants to be sliced open?).

I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Things are really starting to heat up. Update soon!

_Just did. Hehe, I'm such a bastard for making them suffer so much right?_

Pairings: none. This be more an angst chapter.

Warnings: angst, swearing. I think..

Disclaimer: Don't own them. Damn it..

Other: might contain mistakes in spelling and style. I'm not from any English-speaking country so writing in this is kinda odd for me at times so I cant prevent all mistakes I make. Sorry! Anyway, sorry for taking so long to update, but I hope you guys like it anyway. After this, I'll be taking it to a next level. A more yaoi level.

_Chapter ten: Blood on my hands, Naruto doesn't exist._

Kakashi sighed, closing his door behind him.

It was already dark outside but he barely noticed it. He had spent the whole rest of the day at the hospital talking to Tsunade, Iruka and Sakura.

Sakura had defended Naruto to a certain extend. She told him Sasuke had wanted to pull a prank and had asked Ino for one of her ice-cold drinks and had sneaked up on Naruto who had seemed too far off with his thoughts to even notice him. He had figured that if Naruto really was a ninja like he claimed to be, then he would have noticed him right away and they could have had a friendly fight to test him out. Instead, Naruto had freaked and had suddenly lashed out to him with his claws. Nobody ever had seen those sharp nails on him and didn't believe by far that they would have been so sharp as to cut four, inch-deep gashes in his chest, right through all the muscles and the biggest veins. She figured that Naruto had been panicked and had acted on instinct. But he had almost killed Sasuke with it, and he had been a huge asset into healing him as well.

Iruka was too shocked at first to have an opinion of it. But the doctors told them Sasuke was alright, just unconscious right now and he would be leaving the hospital shortly without even a scar on his body. He just needed to be observed for a couple of days for complications caused by the cold. Having heard Sakura's story, Iruka too believed that it had been an accident. But it had been a near fatal accident and he was upset that Naruto had been able to cause that much damage.

Tsunade tried to be as just as she could. Even if it had been an accident, it had been nearly fatal and it had been to someone they considered to be a friend of Naruto, even if he was Ranaku at the moment to the village. Fact was that he was dangerous, maybe even more dangerous than he was before he went away.

Kakashi looked around his house, bathed in darkness. He couldn't make out any living being nearby. Tired and sore from all the tension, he cracked his neck and walked a few steps into the room, trying to sense if Naruto was still there, fear clutching his heart that the young man had ignored his order and had fled the house. If he had done that, there was a huge chance that he would never return again.

"How is he?" A soft voice came from somewhere in the room.

"Naruto.."

"How is he?" Naruto repeated again.

"Alright. He wont even have a scar."

"Good."

Kakashi focused to the left side of his room until he could make out the long slender shape of Naruto. He wore his big cloak again and his hair was untied, a katana sword once again strapped to his back.

"I wont see you again sensei. Thanks for everything. Tell him.. I.. I'm sorry.." Naruto whispered and climbed up the window ledge getting ready to jump out.

In an instant, Kakashi was in front of him, blocking him from running away again.

"You are not going anywhere Naruto." He said, looking at the filthy brown-blonde hair and the tear-stained red eyes of the young man in front of him.

"I have to."

"I don't care. You are staying right here, right now."

"Why? Don't you want to see me gone? I saw it in your eyes! I saw it in Iruka's eyes and Sakura's! I'm a danger to you all and I'm leaving." He tried to shove Kakashi out of the way but instead he was punched across the face and he landed on his backside hard with Kakashi sitting on top of him.

"No." Kakashi grabbed his arms and pushed them down the side so that Naruto couldn't move an inch. "I'm your sensei and you are going to listen to me whether you like it or not."

Naruto remained silent.

"Got that?"

Nothing.

"GOT THAT?" He yelled, pushing his weight down on the wrists to emphasize his question.

Naruto nodded. "Yeah."

"Good."

He loosened his grip a little, partially because he was getting tired himself and partially because he knew Naruto wouldn't run away for now.

"Now listen. What you did, and I don't know why you did it.."

"It was an accident!" Naruto screamed, stopping Kakashi in mid-sentence. "I don't know what happened! Something cold was dumped on me! Do you know that feeling that when you are hot and you feel something cold suddenly you get freaked out too? Now imagine that with a skin temperature of double the heat that was outside today!!"

"I don't care! You nearly killed him!"

Naruto let his head fall to the side.

Kakashi hissed and quickly grabbed the bottom of Naruto's shirt with his right hand and jerked it up, revealing the tanned skin on his stomach.

"What the.. what are you doing?!" Naruto asked panicked.

Kakashi growled and grabbed Naruto by his neck and jerked him up, forcing him to look at his stomach.

"You promised you would defeat the kyuubi before it gained control over you. Your seal was gone!" He hissed. "Now you tell me what this is!"

Naruto looked down to see his seal being there, dark as the night and so elaborate that it spread over his whole abdomen and to his sides.

"Its the seal Naruto!" Kakashi let go of his head and got off him. "Dammit.."

"..I failed. I never could control it."

"Dammit.. Then what did you do all those years?"

Naruto sighed and fell silent for a few seconds, trying to think of the shortest and most exact explanation for it.

"I trained. I fought it, defied it and denied it. So eventually, I accepted it and made it a part of me deliberately."

Silence fell between them as Kakashi tried to grasp what Naruto had been saying.

"So you never defeated it."

"No.."

"Then why for heavens sake did you return here? You were ordered to stay away until you had finished your mission."

"I know. The only mission I ever truly failed to complete."

"Then why?"

"If I hadn't come.." He rubbed his freshly healed arm. "I would have had to stop being a ninja."

Kakashi turned around to look at him.

"This arm would never have healed good enough. It was return and hope Tsunade would heal it or stay away forever." He chuckled. "I threw away my mission and wanted to have it healed, so I returned."

"So you lied to all of us."

"No.. I never did say I defeated the kyuubi." He stood up and straightened his clothes.

So the kyuubi was still there, Kakashi thought. He still was a threat to Konoha and the accident this afternoon proved it was true. At the slightest thing, Naruto could be explosive but now who knows how many times as lethal, having trained like a madman for two years straight. He had been incredibly strong when he had left Konoha. The attack on Sasuke today must have been like crushing an egg under your foot to Naruto. So easy, so fast, that not even a talented jounin as Sasuke would have noticed it.

Naruto chuckled.

"You know.. I didn't quite lie to you when I asked you to call me Ranaku. It was my name in a small town far away from here. Yato Ranaku. A blade in the night."

Kakashi sighed. He knew that name. He knew exactly where it had come from. A legendary being that killed without remorse and without being seen or heard. He came as silent as a shadow and as lethal as the sharpest blade. People killed by the one called Yato never had seen him coming. All across the country the name Yato got connected to an almost godlike person that nobody had seen or heard. Those that did, had ended up dead.

"Missions.. Assignments to stay alive. It's all exaggerated, but true somewhere... I never really wanted to be the one they called Yato, but I did. I killed and hated it. I did my job like I was taught to do but it destroyed me inside."

"The way of the ninja. Do your job and never show emotions. Be as swift and silent as the night, never be seen and stay hidden."

"What?"

"The anbu code." Kakashi softly said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "The way of the anbu."

Naruto looked up at his teacher. He looked sad but something on his face told Naruto that he knew exactly what Naruto had been going through.

"I don't care.. I shouldn't.. I went too far. I don't like these skills anymore. I don't like being Yato. I don't like failing anything."

"You are not Yato."

"Yes I am, and I hate it!"

"Naruto."

"Naruto doesn't exist anymore sensei! He died away when I made that first kill! He vanished with every move I made and with every time I even used my powers! Naruto is gone, all there is now is this damn demon inside me that is using the one that was Naruto to move and kill, he got named Yato. I'm not Naruto anymore, just the kyuubi that now has a name.." He choked a soft sob away.

"Its still Naruto to me. Naruto is still here, the kyuubi is just an illusion, just an excuse for your actions. You are still Naruto."

"No.. this seal has spread, taken over everything in my mind. Look at Sasuke today, look at all the kills. That isn't Naruto... I'm not Naruto anymore. He got destroyed when I made my first kill and actually enjoyed the smell of blood around me."

A short silence fell between them as Naruto just breathed with some difficulty, trying as best as he could to hide the pain inside of him. But even with the lights out and the darkness of the night, his sensei must have sensed it anyway. In that way, Naruto was still like an open book.

"I wake up every morning and like you, I sit somewhere thinking about what I have done." Kakashi said, sitting down with his back to the wall, folding his arms over his right knee, letting the other leg fall down.

"The lives I have destroyed, the people I have killed and left the ones that loved them behind with nothing but memories and a body. I wasn't alone in that either, my friends and parents that were killed during missions or during the wars. How many have died because of me? I don't know. I felt like something died inside me too, the day I made my first kill."

He looked up at Naruto with a grin.

"I was even younger than you at that time and I liked the taste of power. Like playing god, taking away someone's life. Any normal person could lose himself in that taste and the ones I killed were often those that had become addicted to it. But it never felt right and it will never feel right. The one called Kakashi died that night too but I'm still here. I'm still Kakashi. I just changed."

"Sensei.."Naruto whispered, looking down at his sensei not quite knowing what to do with this personal story he was telling.

"People change because of people around them. This isn't any different, just much more dramatic. I'm still Kakashi, and you are still Naruto."

A small tear rolled down Naruto's cheek, hoping and praying that he was right. That he was still Naruto, that he could still be the one he was, that he could find the strength that Kakashi had found and had kept him sane.

"Ahn..." Kakashi groaned. "I'm tired. Let's just go to sleep alright?"

Naruto followed Kakashi with his eyes as the grey haired ninja got up, took off his flack jacket and his forehead protector, looking at it for a second before laying it on a small table beside the futon.

"Tsunade has decided that you stay here. That's a direct order. Your mission now is to become yourself again and face yourself. Be Uzumaki Naruto and drop that stupid act and act like a grown-up man instead of a bloody wuss that cant even face his friends." He chuckled. "Those are her explicit words."

"I'm not.. banned?" He asked, hardly believing his ears.

"No. To be exact, you are ordered to keep your 'bloody ass' in Konoha until you get back to yourself again. Take a step outside and every jounin in the village will come to hunt you down. You are, as of now, back in Konoha. Reintegrate, mingle, whatever. We'll see what happens from that point on."

Naruto couldnt stop smiling through his tears, now rolling down his cheeks. He felt incredibly relieved and so scared at the same time.

"Oh. And Sasuke will be fine. You saved his life. Maaah.. I'm tired. 'Night." Kakashi said, kicking his shoes away and sliding underneath the blanket, not even bothering to take off his mask or pants. A few seconds later, a light snore could be heard through the room together with the soft sound of cicadas chirping outside in the summer night.

Naruto took off his cloak and his katana and let himself fall on the large couch, his bed for the past few days. It didn't take him long to fall asleep as well, his brain to tired of all the events that happened that day to even think about them.


	12. 11 Confront

slowly waves Ohayoooo minna!

Gomen, I didn't realize chapter ten was so short! So, to add a bit of shonen-ai spice to the fic, I'm already posting chapter eleven for you to read. (yeah, its chapter 11, remember that 6 was a double? ;;)

So, no answering the reviews this time.. no time to do that. But I do wish to thank you all for reading and liking it and even have the time to send me a review! That's just awesome and I cant thank you enough for it :3

Now then..

Pairings: sasunaru. Kinda. Gimme time ;;

Warnings: none. Fluff.. And I hope I didn't go very OOC here..

Disclaimer: ma na… boku wa own de nai. Dont own them. Kuso.

Have fun!

_Chapter eleven: Confront_

_Waking the next day felt like waking from a nightmare. The same confusion if it had all been real, the relief that it wasnt even though the dark feeling lingered like a bad smell._

_He still wore the same clothes. The same sounds were still coming from outside. The same color of light that seeped through the windows and the same smell of summer in Konoha. The same voices, the same surroundings._

_Like any other day in Konoha. As if history had stopped itself, stopping time in its tracks so the peace and purity of this village would never change._

_Change._

_Change dammit, back to what you were._

Naruto fumbled the drawers in Kakashi's house. He yanked the doors in the kitchen open and searched through every single cabinet. He rummaged through the heap of medical bottles and discarded wrappings in the bathroom. Back to his clothes and the drawers and pulled out every piece of clothing he had worn over the past week. He jerked the large cloak from the floor and shook it, but he couldnt find anything.

No dye. No wallet. No money to buy a new bottle.

He felt weak and sighed. He had woken up that morning all alone, Kakashi gone having left only a note that he'd be back soon. And he left something else as well. Naruto groaned and rubbed his right shoulder.

He looked in a life-size mirror on the wall, studying the huge seal on his stomach that was a burning black against his tanned skin. No matter how tanned he got, it still burned as if it was alive and there hadn't been a way to erase it, no matter how much he wanted it. He had succeeded into hiding it, but it had been just hiding and even that had left a small scar-like mark looking like small whirl. He could never completely erase it.

And now, since this morning, there had been a similair seal on his right and left shoulder as well. Like a small version, a whirl with spiky brush-like marks on the side of it. Kakashi's doing. Naruto tried to summon as much chakra as he could muster to darken his hair or change the color in his eyes, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing happened and he only felt extremely tired afterwards.

It didnt take him long to figure out what had happened. Kakashi had placed a seal on him while he had been sleeping so deeply this night, so exhausted from the day before. And that seal was simple but very effective apparently for it had left him with a minimal amount of chakra. It was a restricting seal. He couldnt use the power of the kyuubi nor his own massive strength or chakra control.

It simply meant, he would be as strong as a normal man and whatever happened, he posed as much of a threat as the baker around the corner. Inside he wished that the baker was an Anbu..

And it also meant that he couldnt disguise himself anymore. And somehow, the damn jounin had taken his money with him as well, knowing that naruto would resort to anything to keep his cover.

Naruto sighed. No matter.. He shouldnt have to worry that much for now. He had dyed his hair for the third time that week just yesterday morning. He looked in the mirror. His hair was a slightly lighter shade of brown than the dark coffee-like color he had used to cover his identity with. It would take at least another two weeks before it all washed out.

Damn it. With this low power there was no way in hell he could reverse the small seals. Maybe Tsunade could take them away but she was probably part of the plot so he kissed that idea goodbye.

Ah damn.

What the heck then, he thought as he slipped in his usual baggy black pants and black shirt and fumbled a bit in his travelling bag. Good for him, kakashi hadn't completely taken everything away as he pulled out a small box that opened in a small puff of dusty smoke. He took it with him to the bathroom and began to dot his cheeks with the powdery stuff. It took him only a few whipes to completely cover the six scars on his cheek. Good thing he still kept that stuff just in case he wanted to change his appearance again without using chakra, though it almost felt like being a girl using make-up.

After that he fished a bottle of black ink from a drawer in the living room. Normally it would have been used as ink to write letters or reports, now it would serve as a way to hide the scars even more as he drew long lines across his face with a brush. A quick glance in the mirror made him remind that he looked like Kankuro, but now in black. Grinning, he noticed that they were so apparent that they drew away every single bit of attention the scars could have. Spraying a whiff of fix over it would keep the marks there even if it rained or made him sweat. The alcoholic sharp stench of the spray lingered and again he thought of himself as looking like a girl using way too much make-up.

He shivered at that last thought as he put the box in his pocket in case they would fade anyway. Just in case. Everything was just in case.

With his hand on the doorknob he took a deep breath. Now came the toughest part. For one, the heat of the summer day and even worse, apologize. To sasuke. Today. And right now or he would never do it.

It even felt more terrifying as he noticed that quite an amount of people were staring at him. It was almost like old times.. His own fault this time. And perhaps like the first time he had noticed people staring after him in such a menacing way when he was just a small kid, the road to the hospital seemed to be a thousand miles long and only got longer with every glare he got.

"Uchiha Sasuke.. Let me look for a minute." The nurse at the desk said to him as he finally got there. Well.. finally.. it was just a five minute walk away but it seemed like ages. Lucky for him, the nurse hadn't heard anything or knew him by face so he was glad he didnt have to resort to some stealthing around untill he found the right room.

"Ah, here it is.. 17H. Thats down the hall, up the stairs and then its somewhere on your right."

"Thank you." He said in a sullen voice.

He didnt like being here at all, this chemical smell of pure alcohol that couldnt hide the bad smell of disease anyway. He had forgotten that the hospital had been so large. He guessed Tsunade left the minor cases to her students or to normal medical people instead of healing everyone on her own. Maybe because she wanted to provide a chance for them to learn, maybe because she didnt have the time to heal everyone or maybe just because she was too lazy to take care of every cough and sneeze.

He slowly walked up the stairs and down the large white and teal colored hall.

17A

17B

17D..

17H, the last room in the hallway. He stopped walking and looked at the door, open at a small crack and he felt a mellow warm breeze coming out of it.

His mind was revolting against his reason. What was the big deal anyway? He had made a mistake and he had to make up for it now. But on the other side was the fear of facing sasuke again. The boy had seemed to be willing to build up a possible friendship again like he had when he was still just naruto and he had destroyed it. And for a large part, he simply didnt want to deal with that kind of pain again. Not only facing his doing, but also facing him in this state with all that had happened yesterday and in the past.

Coward! His mind screamed out at a certain point, just when he was about to turn around and walk away. That set him on fire. He was all but a coward and he would prove it too.

He tiptoed to the door and slightly pushed it open, peeking his head around the corner, expecting a kunai to bore into his forehead at any moment.

Instead, he heard nothing, just a steady rythem of someone breathing and the sound of the wind coming through one of the open windows in the small room. He twitched at the huge amount of flowers around him. Flowers on the windowledge, flowers on small sidetables near the wall, flowers on the floor, flowers in vases next to the door even. They hadn't even know where to put them anymore.

He looked up again, focusing on the person in the bed by the window.

Sasuke.. He was sleeping, his features completely relaxed, laying there like a doll in its standars pose with his arms by his side, legs next to eachother as he slept on his back. Naruto smiled for a second, the comparison to a doll not quite ending there. The color of his skin and the flawless deep black hair was almost artificial.

He carefully stepped between the vases and after some wiggling and bending he finally got the side of the bed. Sasuke still hadn't woken up.

Naruto discovered a chair with even more flowers on it and moved them aside, picking up the chair and setting it next to the bed as silently as he could. Anything to prevent sasuke from waking up. It would buy him time to reconsider, to rethink his words and to organise the many panicked thoughts that were raging through his mind, ranging from 'get the hell out of here' to 'I cant wake him up looking like this'.

He studied the form underneath the light blanket in front of him. So relaxed. Sleeping like nothing ever happened, sleeping like an innocent child that had played too long. His slender pale face was unscratched, flawless in every way.

Naruto tore himself away from that face. Sleeping like this had an unusual effect on him. He wanted to lie there beside him and fall asleep as well, taking over the same peace as sasuke's face had and calming down all the doubts in his head. He wanted to keep the silence in the room so there would never be a fight like this again. He wanted to stop the time and pretend nothing had ever happened, not yesterday, not all those years they had spend together and not all the fight they had. He groaned as his worst wish slowly came bubbling up in his mind like a pure tone amidst chaos. He never wanted to stop looking at the peace that radiated from this beautiful face again.

He slid his hands through his hair, once again tied in a small tail on the back of his neck as that realisation struck him. Sasuke really did look beautiful like this. Asleep, calm, breakable, pure, innocent, his face a perfect symmetry accented by the dark lashes and soft pink lips. Like a fragile porcelain doll that shouldnt need anything more than love and soft touches.

Not having his stomach ripped open by an idiot who got taken over by fury and instinct.. He thought, his face red with shame for having done just that.

He should never be hurt. That face should never be twisted in pain again.


	13. 12 The tough part

_Chapter twelve: The tough part_

There he was, staring at a person he once hated, at a certain point had partially liked, envied and needed around to push himself further in his skills. The toughest person to be honest to, the person he almost killed werent it for Sakura's quick actions and his techniques. Sure he had helped saving him, but he had almost also helped him to the second world.

"I'm sorry..." He heard himself whisper before he even realised it. But he gave into the feeling of remorse and guilt.

"I'm so sorry.. So incredibly sorry.." He closed his eyes and felt tears once again well up in the corners of his eyes like they had done every time he had thought about it.

"So sorry.."

"Not dead.. not dying.. just asleep." Naruto's heart skipped a beat at the low soft voice.

"Untill an idiot came here and woke me up."

Naruto opened his eyes and wiped his eyes quickly before sasuke could see that he had been crying over him. He tried to summon his chakra to his eyes to make the redness go away and he cursed inside as he realised again that Kakashi had placed a seal on him to prevent him from using even the tiniest bit.

Sasuke tried to sit up but groaned loudly.

"Damn it.. " He hissed as he whinced at the pain that shot through his body. He found a position comfortable enough and slowly turned his head to look at naruto.

"What are you doing here?" He growled.

"How long have you been awake?" Naruto asked him slightly panicked. Did he hear all this?

"Not long."

"Did.. did you hear what I said?"

"Yes and no. Yes, because your voice woke me up and no, because i figured my head was delusional from the sleep."

"What?"

"Jeez.." He slid a hand through his hair, smoothing down one of the long spikes in his black hair. "You are sorry?"

"Um.. ah.." Say it stupid! Naruto yelled at himself. "Yeah. I'm um.. sorry."

"You sounded a lot more confident a second ago."

Naruto said nothing and stared at the suddenly very interesting teal floor.

"Whatever." He groaned again. "Was nice going anyway."

".... Sorry.."

"Yeah well.." Sasuke fell silent as well.

For a minute long, seemingly an hour, they just looked at everything but eachother. Wow, nice white curtains and oh look, i didnt know roses came in purple too.

Finally naruto dared to look at sasuke again, a bit more confident now that the redness in his eyes seemed to have gone and he had said it didnt he? Sort of..

Sasuke was still looking at the opposite wall and didnt seem to have any plans to look at him any time soon. He sighed and shook his head, looking like he was having a major internal discussion as well.

"I should be going then." Naruto said as he got up. This tension was wearing him out, he had said it, what the hell was he doing there now anyway, there wasnt any reason to remain in the small room, he thought as he got up from his chair. But as he got to the door, sasuke mumbled something that got his attention. He rarely spoke in situations like this so if he said something, it probably was something important.

"What?"

He turned around to look at sasuke, amazed that the young man had a small blush spread on his cheeks and was looking to his seat with a face that looked like he had said something very shameful.

"Well.. um.. I'm sorry too. I guess." He stammered.

Naruto was too frozen in his tracks to even chuckle at the way he had said it or to even take a step outside. He let go of the door and stared at the dark-haired shinobi in front of him, blushing like mad. Sasuke had said sorry? The prince had said sorry? It was almost too incredible to fully understand it. He had never heard him say it like this, with such a face. He could almost call it cute, seeing how the cold facade had dropped away for a second.

Then it hit him. He was saying sorry? Why the hell was he saying sorry?

"Why are you saying you are sorry?" Naruto softly said, walking back to his chair, dodging the roses that were hanging limb from their vases. "I mean.. I almost killed you.. I should be the one saying sorry untill my throat hurts."

"I guess you should yeah."

Naruto sighed, to hell with his sense of pride then.

"Alright then. Sorry, sorry sorry sorry!" He stopped and looked at sasuke, refusing to say anymore. This was having a serious impact on his pride..

"Does your throat hurt already?" Sasuke asked him, trying to supress a smile pulling on the corners of his mouth. It turned into a vicious smirk instead, be it a very very fragile smirk. This was precious.

"NO! Oh man.. Sorry, sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry... keh..'. He coughed slightly, realising just how stupid this must sound to Sasuke, however it was even more stupid to his own ears since he was the only who knew who he really was and who he was talking to. "Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry... cough sorry sorry sorry sorry... sor.. what the.."

He stopped his torrent of sorry's as he realised sasuke was chuckling, the soft deep voice resonating in the small room.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke snickered before he gave in laughing out loud, feeling his body cave in under the sheer pressure of the sight before him, this new guy saying sorry so many times that he couldnt have seen a more serious case of damaged pride on the man's face.

Even though the wounds were gone, the muscles underneath his skin were still partially torn and every time he had to take a breath he held his stomach in pain, his face in a grimace and tears streaming down his face. But wether they came from the pain or the incredibly stupid face Naruto made with the idiotic overkill on apologies, he couldnt tell and for that moment, he didnt care anyway.

"No idiot!" Naruto felt his mouth quirk up as well at the stupidity of the situation. "I'm sorry!"

"I'm sorry."

He looked up to face Naruto, his face wet from the tears and his eyes red and hot. He swore for a second that Naruto showed a second of concern before he noticed he was having trouble keeping a straight face himself. It was too absurd not to laugh now.

"Stop it! Sorry."

"Sorry."

Naruto couldnt control himself anymore and starting chuckling at first but it quickly turned into loud laughter as well.

"Quit it!" He managed to squeek between the gasps for air as he couldnt stop laughing anymore.

Laughing is contagious, and Sasuke realised that very well. And somehow, the laughter of this brown-haired new guy in front of him was filling him with energy by the mere sound of it.

"Okay okay, i'm sorry!"

Sasuke stopped for a second and tried to put up a serious face again. Naruto tried the same. But as soon as they looked in eachothers eyes again, neither could contain himself and they started snickering like boys again. Naruto sniffed for a second as he realised something. For a part, this felt like old times again when he had fun with his friends and could laugh for the most stupid of reasons. On the other hand, this was sasuke and he had never heard sasuke laugh in this way before and he wondered if anyone did ever. But this sasuke didnt know he was naruto. To him, he was the new guy who nearly killed him and here he was laughing with him. It was almost surreal and dreamlike, the heap of flowers and the sound of his voice only adding to that.

Sasuke never acted this way. He never had laughed in front of him, he had hardly shown a smile when Naruto was still around. A smirk maybe, especially when they had won a battle, but it was never a smile, let alone this situation with him laughing with a guy who had tried to kill him, be it by accident, only a day before.

Naruto slowly felt silent as he watched the man in front of him chuckle and sometimes cringe with pain. He really had tried to kill him. He didnt mean it, it was just a reflex, a matter of instinct instead intend. It almost instantly made him feel incredibly guilty and he dropped the smile from his lips. Was he diffirent now after all these years? Was sasuke diffirent also, seeing how he acted now? Had he already and again destroyed the friendship he wanted to have with him, no matter how much a pain in the ass he used to be?

For an instant he feared the latter as he saw sasuke cough loudly, groan in pain and dropping the laughing altogether to fall back into his serious mood again, now however mixed with red teary eyes from sheer pain. He let out a deep sigh and looked at Naruto from underneath his lose dark locks of hair. It felt like a glare to naruto and he almost regretted taking advantage of the situation to make sasuke forgive him by seeing the irony of the situation.

Naruto let out a deep sigh. It wasnt up to him now. If sasuke hated him from now on, he was quite right in doing so. If he wanted to go on where they left off and forget about the whole situation, Naruto would be more than happy to accept that and do his best.

Instantly, he raised an eyebrow. Since when had he wanted to become friends with him anyway? Well, he immediately thought after, seems like sasuke and he himself had changed, or at least thats what he hoped for that happened. Maybe, just maybe, we can start all over again.

"Well.. You know.. I'm really sorry."

"Whatever." Came the cold and somehow predictable reply of sasuke. Heh, so much for a change..

"Hm." Naruto looked away as he got up from his chair. Forget about it, he's still the same jerk, just ignore him like you always used to do alright?

"I'll get you for this though. Ranaku." Sasuke looked up at him, sliding a hand over his stomach. "I swear that if you make me laugh like that again while my muscles are torn up like this, i will kill you."

"I won't tear them up again."

"Huh?"

"That's too easy. I expect a real fight next time." Naruto added with a grin and looked at sasuke with a surprised look on his face. To his relief, it turned into a smirk quickly and the familiar sasuke once again showed himself, the only old part Naruto never could quite get enough of. His challenging side.


	14. 13 Forced

Hiya everyone! I'm sorry for taking so long to update. I wish you all a merry x-mas and a happy sweet new year for starters anyway ;;

Well, guess what happened. I read all of your wonderful reviews and as I was writing chapter 18, I realised that the story wasnt going the way I wanted it to go, nor the way that you would want it to go. So I deleted all of it. Just like that. And I started all over again, rereading all of the story and then adapting the whole storyline. And so I started on a new chapter a week or two ago. Due to incredible pressure at school (I'm a student game-design and spend my whole day, from 07.00 to 23.00, at school or travelling to school. In the weekend, I do the things I should do during the week, so when I write my stories, its always at night right before I go to sleep. Its frustrating, because I want to write but I cant because I dont have the time..) I didnt write more than this. Heh, and when I wrote chapter 13, I found out that I couldnt end it and that I was writing and writing without thinking up a way to make nice clean cuts in the story. So my warnings have a new one, no clean endings anymore. I'm writing as I go and to be honest, I really enjoy writing on and on and make them fall in love slowly. (now, don't tell me you didnt see that coming.. )

So, thanks for all your support and I hope to please with this new version of my story and I sincerely hope that you will fall in love with these two guys like they are falling in love too. coughs Well.. that's what I'm always hoping to get when I read a story, just to get that nice warm feeling that the characters are getting. Oh damn.. Am I revealing a lot now or what? Oh well .. Have fun ne? I'm looking forward to your opinions!

Pairings: sasu x naru implied

Warnings: hmm.. none, no wait, shonen-ai. Yup yup finally getting to it. Oh, Bear in mind, I'm not from an english-speaking country so spelling and style mistakes might occur.

Disclaimer: I do not own them. If I did, I'd have a house full of everyone in Naruto, since I love every character in it. Cept for Ino and Sakura. They can play yuri at my friends' house.

Notes: please review, I need it. As you have noticed by now if you have read the other chapters.

Chapter thirteen: Forced

"Alright then Naruto! It is time to get busy!" Kakashi said in an overly happy tone, obviously smiling like an idiot underneath his mask.

Naruto looked up from the book he had been reading on how to break seals. Being this powerless was annoying like hell and he didnt like sitting still like that. It was the peak of summer and it was so hot that he felt incredibly imprisoned as he couldnt leave the house at all to go outside or he'd be roasted. And to his dismay, he found out what kind of house Kakashi lived in. A top floor apartment right underneath the roof. The place was an oven during the day.

"Busy sensei?" He frowned. That tone and that face, it simply couldnt mean anything good. Well, not good for him anyway.

"Yup! I have a mission I have to fulfill and I have to be away for a week!" He was much too happy about this.

"So?" Naruto asked him. "I'll take care of the plants for you.." he mumbled. He'd rather be outside himself too, training to get rid of this stupid seal so he would be able to be of signifigance for Konoha again.

"Like hell I would leave you alone here!" Again that smile. "You're going to stay at someone else's place." And there were the thumbs-up. In some aspects there really was no diffirence between Kakashi and his eternal rival Gai.

"What? Why?"

"Well. Iruka is going with me on this mission so you can't stay here. So we looked and asked around to see what would be best for you. And we found a place where you will have plenty of space to train, plenty of shade and well.. everything."

Naruto put his book down and came down from the familiar windowledge he had been sitting on. This was starting to sound good. Space to train, nice cool shade, nice food and a lot of peace and no nosy people. He could train all he want, when he wanted and how he wanted. Awesome!

"From tomorrow on, you'll be staying at the Uchiha residence!" Kakashi said, raising his voice. To him, this moment was precious. Naruto would have all the space he wanted, good food, and a companion that was his greatest obstacle, his best friend and his rival. Sasuke was everything that Naruto needed right now. A reason to fight, a reason to reveal himself and a person who could probably understand him very well. Yup, he and Iruka had been very thorough researching the best place for Naruto to stay and the most likely person who could trigger him.

Naruto just went silent as he stared at his sensei.

"We figured you needed to regain all your strength with your own body and at this moment, Sasuke is the most skilled and the strongest of your generation."

Naruto blinked.

Kakashi noticed the sudden numbness and coughed nervously. He hadnt expected to see Naruto leap into his arms out of joy but this was a reaction he hadnt quite expected.

"So if you fight him, your strength will return and Sasuke is at this time the only one who can teach you all you need to know. Fight with him and have him release the strength within you without help of the kyuubi." The kyuubi would disappear anyway if he wasnt needed anymore. Or at least the demon would be easier to get rid off when he wasnt needed and thus wasnt strong anymore.

Kakashi folded his arms. This was perfect!

"Uhm... Naruto?" He asked after a few more minutes of silence.

"U-chi-ha residence. With Sa-su-ke. For a whole week. A whole week? With Sasuke? Are you nuts? Dropped from the toilet and hit your head sensei?!" Naruto burst out. This was not good!

"What?"

"He'll bash my skull in as I am now!"

"Course he wouldn't."

"Of course he would! The guy is a jounin!"

"And you are on the level of jounin and Anbu."

"Thats beside the point! I'm like a kid in this state. How on earth can I match up with Sasuke that way?"

"Oh, don't worry. He knows we placed a seal on you."

"What?"

"Yeah, we had to tell.. um.. ask him if you could stay over and train with him. So we told him you got a seal that will force you to tap another source for chakra than the kyuubi."

Naruto fell silent as he thought about it. He snickered. Figures. That bastard Kakashi had it all figured out. Sasuke would indeed push him to his limits, be it emotionally or physically. They would get into a fight either way, so he had figured out that he might as well use it to Naruto's advantage. After all, now that he was restricted by this seal, he would have to rely on another source of power besides the kyuubi's. Plain, normal, taijutsu power that woul aid him into gathering his own chakra again. He had used it as a kid, before the kyuubi and had been exceptionally strong. That couldnt have disappeared over the years. Somewhere, there still was the talent to use it. Maybe he had only forgotten about it in the meantime.

And Sasuke. Well, he was just perfect. Naruto would no longer be able to deny his history with the dark-haired prodigy. It would be easy on Sasuke, since he didnt know anything, but damn tough on naruot and that was just how Kakashi wanted it to go. Not only would Naruto have to force himself into using his own chakra, no, he would also be pushed to the limits of his cover. If somebody was able to taunt the real identity of Naruto out of him, then only Sasuke was the man to do it. He had been able to get Naruto all fired up like an angry cat all those years before right? And that hadnt taken any effort anyway. If Sasuke was even a little like the way he was and Naruto acted like the way he was, it would be like adding gasoline to a small fire. Either it would go out (fat chance) or it would turn into a blaze.

Kakashi could only think of the latter and was already looking forward to be rid of Naruto in hiding and to be able to see his powers.

Naruto could only wish for the former.

Sasuke. It was the worst and the best choice someone could make for him at that moment. He had figured out what the good part was instantly, regaining power. But the bad side, oooh yeah... It was after Sasuke. Who said that he would be the same kind and open guy he had been at the hospital? Who said that he would even consider renewing a friendship that Naruto had always wished but had never attained?

He thought back to the evening he had first seen him again in two years. The boy, now a young man, had been almost regal. Perfect in his moves, not wasting a drop of energy when he talked or moved. But he had also been as cold as a pure block of glacier ice. Just as pretty, just as cold. Well... cold mostly. Naruto sighed. Sasuke hadnt changed much for that matter over the past two years. Still cold. Still having a wall of protection against being hurt around his body. He had known all along. Sasuke was afraid to be hurt like when he was when he saw his family being murdered. He had thought about it and had come to one conclusion that would drive him for the rest of his live. If he didnt love anyone or if nobody loved him, there would be no chance that any of the two would be hurt as severely as he had been hurt that day.

But he had smiled. He had laughed even. Just two days ago, it had been like the mask of ice melting away from his face. It had been Naruto's doing, and thinkg about that made the shinobi smile. He had been the one to almost kill him, but he was also the one who had made him smile and laugh afterwards as if they were vast friends. Sasuke never laughed. And he had made him laugh and only him. Thinking about that, made him feel special, as if he was the only one on the world to ever accomplish that. Back in his mind, he knew that that was impossible, but he ignored it, relishing in the thought that he had made the ice-prince melt in front of him.

But for just an instant. Who knew if he would do that again? Naruto hoped so.. After seeing a scolding face for years both in reality and in his mind when he was alone, seeing and hearing a person like Sasuke laugh was like getting a chilly refreshing shower after a hot summers day.

Che. Fat chance! He snorted and kicked the leg of a chair in annoyance. Like Sasuke would ever laugh like that again. No way.

"Hey come on. Its not that bad.." Kakashi lost his smile and sighed, looking at the childish mockery of Naruto, grumbling and mumbling in front of him. "He is the safest to show your true face to you know.."

Naruto looked up at Kakashi, adjusted his vision to focus on the locks falling in front of his face and then back to Kakashi again. His hair was ashen-chestnut like. It wouldnt be long untill the vibrant yellow color of his natural hair would reveal itself.

"Sasuke of all people is not the first person I wish to show my face to sensei.." He whispered. Sasuke would mock him, taunt him, make fun of him, laugh at him, shout at him, heck, he might even kill him.. not a good idea.

"Why not?"

"He has hated me from the moment we first saw eachother! No doubt that when he sees me, he realises his position as most 'wonderful' shinobi in Konoha is in danger now that the natural disaster called Naruto is back!" Just like old times, he thought.

"Sure."

"Isnt it predictable what would happen? I even sliced him open for crying out loud!"

"Ma na..." Kakashi grunted and slid a hand through his messy grey hair. "Shut up."

"What?"

"You're like a kid. You guys were friends. That was obvious for all to see. Rivals, but through that, you guys were friends. You can trust him."

"Its Sasuke! Since when can I trust Sasuke?"

"Since he once gave his life for yours." Kakashi sighed. Sasuke hadnt really died, but he had been willing to. And that alone was more proof than ever that he had felt more about Naruto than that blonde had ever been willing to admit. And adding Naruto's reaction to that incident, it had only strengthened his thought about wether the two, then genins, were friendly rival firing eachother up, or plain cold hating archenemies. Kakashi had been incredibly relieved to find that because of their reactions on such a severe situation as the battle with Zabuza was, that it had been pure friendship. He dismissed the observation that the two had in fact been hating eachothers guts out afterwards..

Naruto fell silent.

"You are not a kid anymore and neither is he. Trust him and you'll see what you get in return." Kakashi simply said to Naruto and thus ending the discussion.

Trust him? Trust Sasuke? He would wish for it if he had the faith in it. It was there, but it was but a tiny spot of light in a vast dark ocean of fears. But the longer he thought about it, he saw that he had always lived like that and come to think of it, so had Sasuke..

"Yeah yeah, bye sensei. Careful." Naruto grunted as he slowly waved Kakashi and iruka goodbye who were walking out of the gate of Konoha. They both waved back, looking extremely calm. Something fishy was going on here, Naruto thought as he stared after them. Anyone leaving on a mission wouldnt be so calm and relaxed.

Next to him, dressed fully in black with short pants and a loose shirt, Sasuke stood still, letting out a heavy sigh. He too seemed to notice something odd about the pair of ninja's leaving. He had his hair tied on his back in a short pure black tail, much like Naruto was wearing his hair now and he noticed that they were also wearing the same kind of clothes.

Sasuke looked down and grunted, turning on his heels and walking back to his house as soon as iruka's radiant smile vanished from their sight. Naruto followed him and after a while caught himself staring at his back as he walked. Sasuke walked with smooth long steps, swaying his hips slightly from side to side and his back stern and straight with every step he made. Every step was as if he was walking on shards of light glass, afraid to make any noise or to break it. Pure in the style of a ninja.. Not even a small pebble lost its place as he stepped on it. Stealthy and silent. Naruto stared at Sasuke feet and copied the comfortable rythem he made while walking. No wonder Sasuke was a jounin already, he thought, Sasuke was a silent deadly weapon that was as beautiful as a valuable katana blade.

A katana with a scratch, he thought a second later. The boy still moved stiff around the waist, the spot where his wounds were still healing. But deadly non the less, regal and beautiful. The long slender pale neck with the shiny strands of hair tied together and the straight back was making the young man look as if he was walking like prince. And in a way he was, as Naruto found out as they arrived at his house.

It was a large mansion, hidden by a surrounding wall protecting the inner garden and the small buildings inside. A slightly larger building was the centerpoint of the premises. Though the building were all not that large and mainly built out of wood, the way they were positioned and the prim garden around them made it all seem like a hidden palace. And it was, come to think of it. After all, nobody had actually seen the Uchiha residence accept for the wall outside and the peeking upper floor of the main building. Naruto had never guessed that the building would be surrounded by such perfectly tended gardens and looked so old from the inside. Then again, he, and with him many others, could only have guessed what was inside. Someone's house was always as private and secret as a person himself. A house was like an extension to someone's personality and this house fit Sasuke perfectly. He looked like a classic prince, an porcelain doll in a perfect palace. Naruto could almost expect to see servant flock out of the outer buildings with drinks to serve them. But of course, Sasuke was alone in this huge mansion and with the death of his parents, the boy wouldnt have the means nor the desire to keep many servants around like they once might have had.

"Hey, don't touch anything." Sasuke growled at Naruto, snapping him out of his thoughts. He shook them off quickly, thinking of Sasuke as a prince in an empty palace while he was just a pale guy with a wooden house was too stupid anyway.

He looked beside him at the small wooden table with scattered lacquerware, covered in a thick layer of grey dust. Che, as if anybody would ever touch it. But the dust looked inviting, it would be perfect to write his name in or some other, not so polite message to his host. Take the boy away from the pranks but that doesnt mean that boy has lost the pranks, he thought as he slowly reached out to touch a small figure on the table, a wooden mouse on a peach in this case.

"I said, don't touch it!" In an instant, a pale strong hand had gripped his tanned wrist. Naruto had barely seen the movement and Sasuke's grip was like iron, cold and painful.

"Aw come on!" He protested.

"don't touch anything or you are dead." Sasuke growled, glaring at him from underneath his black locks of hair, his black eyes burning against the color of his skin.

"Okay okay." Naruto complied and sighed. The damn things needed a good dusting anyway so why couldnt he touch them and dust them off. Partially.

"Hey." He frowned and looked down at his wrist, still being held by Sasuke."You can let go now you know. I wont touch anything."

"How do I know you wont? You don't know the importance of these things to me."

Naruto shivered at the coldness of the hand that was slowly starting to spread to his wrist and the rest of his arm.

"Maybe not,' He answered. ", but I will when I feel that you mean it. And I mean that I wont touch them again."

He looked up at the face in front of him, feeling the seriousness of the matter radiate from every fiber in Sasuke. Sighing, he figured what a confusing thought it actually as to know all about his past, well, much anyway, and not being able to give him that message.

"Listen. Trust me."

"I can't trust anyone." Sasuke glared at him, letting go of his hand and stretching his back slightly as he took in air, having held his breath in tension.

Naruto smiled as he rubbed the skin on his wrist, slightly bruised by Sasuke's hard grip.

"Good. I'd hate to spend time with a total idiot who trusts anybody who comes on his doorstep." He grinned and looked at Sasuke for a reaction of some sort. It'd relieve the tension of the mood anyway.

Sasuke felt like his jaw just fell down a full inch and frowned. Who was this idiot who could brush away his open threat like that so easily? And why did this new guy make a corner of his mouth tug in a shallow smile. How annoying. Why did someone he didnt know at all make him grin like that and didnt care about anything he said? A weak idiot. A stupid idiot.

"Oy, wake up! I'm hungry." The brown-haired shinobi said and started walking down the large hallway, peaking into rooms on either side of it, wondering out loud where the kitchen was. "Hey! Where is the kitchen?"

Sasuke lost his smile and slid back into his comfortable scowl, his mind still smiling though.

A loud idiot.

**_Reviews (some.. i got a LOT XD )_**

From: Tsugath

Yay! I can't wait for the next chapter. It's fitting that Kakashi uses his past experiences to help snap Naruto out of his funk. However, when is he going to face his friends? Update soon.

_Soon. I plan on having a dramatic turning point in the not so far future :)_

From: KiraKit0388

YEAH, new chapter! It's very good but so SHORT!cries pathetically and huggles

plushiesNo! Please update soon

_I'm sorry. I was feeling worried about its length :S. But this one is much bigger so I hope you'll like it. I'm speeding things up too._

From: kcgal

XD I like this a lot! As someone else said, this is a really good take on the

'Naruto goes away and comes back different' sort of fic, and I'm enjoying it a

lot. Your Naruto is a nicely developed character, and I'm interested to see how he deals with becoming himself again. Looking forward to more!!

_Sankyuu! And I tell you, writing him like this is tough! I hope I wont disappoint you. Please keep reading it._

From: ghostninja85

I didn't see that seal coming. However, I don't know if Kakashi would be able to perform that powerful of a seal. A multipart seal that limits Naruto's and

Kyuubi's chakra? Also, if this could have worked earlier, then why didn't they

use it in the first place?

I also really want some more SasuNaru. This slowness is killing me. I hope that Naruto finally builds up the courage to show who he really is soon. This

cowardice doesn't seem like him.

Update soon! I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

_That seal was part of the plot from the start on. I figured they didnt use it in the first place because they knew it was the kyuubi's seal and it had been broken by naruto. A seal made by the Fourth would be extremely powerful. So why not use it again? Because the problem was the kyuubi and naruto dealing with it. Sealing it away immediately again would not solve the problem but only delay it. Now it seemed that he still hasnt controlled it but made peace with it so the danger is still there. Time to seal it and force naruto, because he couldnt deal with it before. He gained control alright, but it wasnt the purpose of why he was send away. Oh damn... am I confusing you guys?_

_About the sasu x naru part, I was fearing that yeah... ashamed I am sorry. So like I said in the beginning of this chapter, I deleted all of my next 6 chapters and started all over again, the chapters you are reading now. And I'm speeding it up big time. I was personally growing tired of waiting myself. Falling in love is such a fun thing to write and I took too long. I'm sorry..._

From: Kisu

SASUNARU! EEP! And you just ended? TT But great update! Naruto sure is dying to keep his secret safe! But it should leak out soon! RIght? RiGHT? I can't wait for that to happen because I want to see everyone's reactions...esp. Sasuke's! EK! glomps author

_ gets glomped oh my.... squee _

_Of course he is dying to keep it! XD there would be nothing worse than facing sasuke again AND facing him and his friends when he failed something this huge. Oh well... he's gonna have to deal with it sooner or later and wether he want to or not wink _

From: Lady of Gryffindor

Ahh! It's so cool! I can't wait to see what happens next! Keep writing and

I'll review more, kay?

_Awesome! Thank you _

From: tyranimo

ah, plenty of potential,

great story,

but im kinda confused a little.

I mean, you mentioned that Naruto asorbed kyuubi didnt you?

so doesn't that literally mean that he has an almost-endless supply of chakra?

so, technically speaking, how can he, 'focus the last of his chakra into the

wound'.

hm, interesting there..

anyway.. keep it up

_Oooh.. perceptive _

_I must admit that I cant remember what i literally wrote but i meant that he accepted the kyuubi and its power instead of defying it. So it would still be there. Then, I used some of my personal experiences in it (might be my bad, but i feel that adding things like this makes it more 'real' and less 'made-up') Namely, when I am in a crowd I dont like and have to hide from them, in any way, i'm just bloody drained at the end of the day. So i wanted him to have that too, pressure draining his chakra. Besides that, he was also focusing on his body temperature. So in all, he had been using it all and slowly over the period of hours or days, ever since he got there. _

_Then about the almost-endless supply.. Well, close, but not quite. He accepted the kyuubi remember? In the manga/anime, it often shows that whatever affects the kyuubi, also affects (uh.. affect.. effects.. spelling.. ) naruto and vice-versa. So if naruto was wounded and weakened by it, the kyuubi would also be weakened. Which is the case. If they hadnt been tied like that, I would have had the kyuubi heal his wound easily the moment he broke his arm. He then would never have come to Konoha and this fic would not exist. _

_Then why didnt the kyuubi heal it at that time? Well, now that is for you to find out I guess ._

_Sasuke: jerk_

_Naruto: meanie_

_Author: oh stuff it or I'll have you wear frilly pink boxers._

From: Angel Ran

Um...

To: Angel Ran from author

My god! XD that was the longest review I ever got! Thanks so much for you wonderful compliments :3 They mean a lot to me! I often doubt my skills you know..


	15. 14 As I go

Ohayo, gomen minna..

I received quite some reviews and I was thrilled about that and I read them all. I know almost every reply, but I'm bad with names ;;

Someone asked why reply to them instead of writing more. I did now. I counted pages and this chap and 15 are both double so long. 16 is already hitting the 17 page mark. (yes, I have been stashing) So I wont reply this time, but I'll try to next time at school (cant write the juicy stuff at school and to be honest, we are getting at the juicy stuff now)

I'm sorry that I couldn't answer any of your new questions. I have answers, but I also have a thing to say about that, please enjoy the fic and go with it. It would spoil the fun for me and for you as a reader to think about it so much . I'm not writing naruto itself and even kishimoto has mistakes in his writing so forgive me mine, even tho I have the answers.

Please enjoy, I have little time to write now .

Chapter 14: As I go

_How long do have I to put up with this? How long do I have to stay in hiding like this? No power, no identity, no friends, nothing. Nothing as I am now. I used to be so much when I was like this outside this village. But everything I am inside this village is something else than I want to be or meant to be. Inside here I only mean when I have friends, the friends I left behind all those years. _

_I used to see only their flaws, or only their good points. Sakura was perfect, beautiful, kind and strong. I now see she is bossy, has a short temper and the longer I see her here, the more I am convinced that she never thought about me the way I wanted her to think about me. Lee was a creep, with thick eyebrows and enthousiasm that could make him run to the sky if he wanted to. He still is that, but he is strict and easy to do more than his body can cope. Everyone has their flaws like this that I didn't perceive when I grew up with them._

_Maybe I was blinded. Maybe I was distracted. Maybe I was simply too young to comprehend the complexity of every single one of them._

_What was I really before I returned? A killer, a ronin, a nothing. Nobody is anything untill he stands next to his friends who can tell him who he is._

_They were my friends._

Coughing loudly, Naruto got up from the sandy ground, wiping his mouth with a sleeve.

"Kuso.." He cursed softly as he looked up to the one who had roughly pulled him out of his thoughts.

Sasuke just crossed his arms and stared straight back at him, his eyes red with the sharingan.

"Don't think I will go easy on you because you have the seals." He grunted.

"I didn't expect you to." Naruto replied, pushing himself up again. What was the point in being beaten up like this anyway?

"Then what did you expect Ranaku? Standing here like this and letting me land everypunch right in your face!" He shouted out as he lunged at Naruto again, his fist connecting hard with his jaw again. "You don't even dodge me. Worthless.."

"AH! Ow... Dammit.." Naruto rolled over the ground in a whirl of dust before coming to a halt a few feet away.

"You don't dodge, you whine, you are like a bag of salt for me to punch." Sasuke cracked his knuckles and moved his head from side to side to straighten his neck out. He hadn't even broken a sweat while Naruto was lying on the ground, groaning. A small trail of blood trickled down the corner of his mouth to his chin.

"You... you're too.. cough too fast.." He huffed, not bothering to wipe the blood away this time.

"What do you say?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow and was next to him, grabbing him by his collar and holding him up in front of his face. Naruto groaned at the sudden move, straightening his bruised spine in an unpleasant way.

"You're too fast." Naruto flinched, grabbing Sasuke's wrists to steady himself more and to ease the pain on his back.

"Do you honestly think that that has anything to do with you? You don't even try to fight back!"

"How can I when I cant hit you?!" Naruto hissed between his teeth, staring into Sasuke's deep red eyes. He would be impossible to hit if he even had to strength to break through one of the assaults. If he did, Sasuke would see it coming anyway.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed to tiny slits and he pulled Naruto closer to his face. Naruto could hear his deep slow breaths and as he exhaled, he felt it flow over his cheeks. His mind was going crazy inside, what was the problem? Why was he so close? Why was he so aggressive and why felt everything he did still like he was doing nothing..

He looked up, pained and tired. Tired of this whole situation. The eyes of Sasuke still staring straight into his, as if looking for something, an answer. Red, deep and knowing, they seemed to Naruto and he felt even more tired as he realised now how familiar the eyes were to him. He had seen them every time they had fought and he knew the person behind them.

But the person in front of him, did not realise who he was. If he knew, he thought, if he knew... then what? If Sasuke knew who he was, would those eyes still look diffirent at him? Would he still be like tropical storm and change from mostly rain to sometimes sunshine for him? For him...

Naruto averted his eyes. How stupid. Who was he fooling. Think about it, he said to himself. Had anybody ever, truly, been affected by his presence? Sakura shunned him, the village hated him, everyone had been glad he had left. He knew it for sure. There wouldnt be a person alive that had been mourning his leaving. They never liked him when he was there, they would not like him now.

"Sasuke.." He hissed, looking back at the pale face in front of him.

The only person who could understand him. Could. Maybe.

"What?" Sasuke said in a harsh voice, apparently not liking to be talked to while he was concentrating.

Naruto growled. What was the point in asking? He wasnt even sure what he wanted to ask him anyway..

But before he could even ask anything, Sasuke's free fist landed on his jaw and sent him flying backwards, landing on the ground with a large thud. He scrambled to his feet as fast as he could and glared for a second, contemplating on what to do.

"Come on!" Sasuke shouted at him, spreading his legs and waving at him with one hand, taunting him to attack.

Naruto growled and lunged at him, swinging one arm. Sasuke dodged it by bending backwards but Naruto foresaw it and let him self fall down and swinging one foot around. Hitting Sasuke by the ankle, the boy fell down on his back. In an instant Naruto was on top of him, pinning his wrists down over his head.

Sasuke smirked and adjusted his hips before thrusting them up. Naruto felt all the air in his lungs being thrust out and he had to resist every urge to let go of Sasuke's arms as he whinced at the sharp pain that flowed through his lower body. He hissed and put even more pressure on the wrists, eyes wide open and growling at the scowling face beneath him. Unconsciously he wanted to bite that pale neck and rip it all out.

He didn't even get a chance to think about that as a second thrust was so strong that it sent him flying over Sasuke's head, making him land on his back and hitting his head hard. He twisted in pain when his back met a few unfortunate rocks on the ground. Groaning, he noticed a voice far away, laughing.

"Get angry! Fight me and get angry!"

Damn straight I am getting angry, Naruto thought, fucking furious.

"Stop laughing like that." He hissed.

"Or what?" Sasuke shouted at him, jumping to his feet from the ground. "Or what then? Are you going to k.." He was stopped in mid-sentence as Naruto rolled back from the ground, kicking him in the face.

"Do you ever shut up?" He growled, standing tall above a groaning Sasuke.

He got down his knees and smirked at the face twisted in pain beneath him.

"Come on.. I couldn't have hit you that hard.."

A punch in the face indeed signaled that his hit wasnt that hard and he had to twist to the side to dodge another one. Sasuke was hard to miss so close up and yet also extremely hard to hit. The sharingan copied his every move and in this state, the moves he made were so slow that they were easy to copy for Sasuke. Naruto growled and took a defensive stance, dodging as much of the punches Sasuke threw at him.

One came flying straight at him but it seemed so slow to him that he only had to turn his head to let it pass. A second one came right after the first, hidden in a fast spin of Sasuke's left leg. Naruto slowly started to remember Sasuke's pattern of fighting, the moves he always loved to use and the ones he was the most familiar with. Sasuke loved fast spins and moves in mid-air, hiding kicks and punches in other moves.

Naruto grinned, the pattern was showing itself quite fast now and it became fairly easy to predict the next move.

Something wasnt right here. Something was completely off, he thought as he continued to dodge. Sasuke swung his arm over his head and it was easy for him to hit him in the sides. What was wrong with him? Why could he hit him all of a sudden.. Naruto growled as he thought about how he hadn't even thought to hit him before, and now Sasuke, even with his superiour sharingan, was a sitting duck for him.

Naruto jumped up and turned around quickly in the air before landing behind Sasuke and kicking him in the back. A small move, a thing he had learned a long while ago and had used it a lot of times even on Sasuke. What the hell was it that he couldn't keep up with him all of a sudden.. Well, not quite all of a sudden, he hadn't tried before did he?

What was he trying to do? Hold back for some unknown reason? Naruto grew even more pissed at that idea. He always did that didn't he, his mind said as he didn't give Sasuke the time to get up and punched him in his stomach. He always had to pretend he wanted a serious fight and he never really did have to break a sweat when fighting Naruto. He had always been superior to him, wether he wanted or not and even now, years later and with Naruto completely changed, he was still a... damn.. show-off!

"What's wrong with you 'Prince Sasuke'!" He yelled out at the bloody person next to him, scrambling to his feet and glaring at him.

Sasuke screamed and Naruto foresaw a punch aimed at his face so he ducked, just what Sasuke wanted as he slammed his fist down on Naruto's spine.

"Ah!!" He screamed out in pain as the sensitive nerves on his neck were brutally beaten up and he growled in fury, taking advantage of Sasuke position to land a punch right above Sasuke's knee. "Fuck.."

Sasuke hissed as the throbbing pain flowed up his leg and into his mind, feeling suddenly very unbalanced with a knee that didn't take any orders from his mind anytime soon.

"You were so good weren't you.." Naruto hissed between his teeth and dove upon Sasuke in a raging array of hits in his side. "So good.. Come on and fight me!"

Sasuke chuckled and went for Naruto legs, pulling them away from underneath his body. Naruto sensed he wanted to push him on the ground and by all means, he was not letting him get away with it and he let himself lean to the side to unbalance Sasuke in the move. His mind went almost completely blank and acted only purely on the warrior instinct he had acquired over the past two years alone, a hunters instinct. At that moment, he was a killer filled with rage.

The great Sasuke, the oh-so-perfect Sasuke, the Sasuke who would train him and he was laughing at him? He was laughing and it sent Naruto's vision bloodred as his killer instinct took over. He was making fun of him! He was ridiculing him! He was acting all weak to make him feel better but he knew Sasuke. Oh yes.. he knew Sasuke was doing that so he would get worn out so he could beat him anyhow like he always did. He would shatter another dream of defeating him like he always did.

Naruto himself nearly moaned in pleasure as he was beating him, even if while his mind shouted that Sasuke was faking it all. The pain of being defeated by this scowling pretty-face all those times and the prospect of a likely defeat now was making him furious.

He would have been glad and overjoyed that he had left the village wouldnt he? He would have finally been rid of the pest called Naruto and be happy about it just like everyone else!

Sasuke coughed up blood as Naruto continued to pummle his side and injuring his lungs. He cursed and grabbed Naruto by his legs and let himself fall forward, making sure a fist landed right in his face.

"Ah.." Naruto groaned and grabbed his cheek in pain. Upon removing his hand to punch Sasuke in the face in return, he noticed the fingers in his fist were slippery and a small trail of blood leaked out and flowed down his wrist. Snarling he sent said fist right into Sasuke's right eye, feeling hard bone crack in the hit.

"AAAH!" Sasuke screamed and hid his face in his hand as blood flowed through the clenched fingers against his eye.

"Always so perfect arent you.. How glad you must have been!" Naruto screamed and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's upper body as his defense was down for a moment. He wrestled the dark boy to the ground and gave him a headbutt.

Sasuke got one hand free from the grip and hit Naruto's jaw and kept his hand there, pushing the face to the side so the other shinobi's head was twisted away. Naruto twisted his head to the right and with the use of the slippery blood on his cheeks he managed to slide his head out of Sasuke's hand and focused back on the most vulnerable spot he could hit at that moment, the face.

'Beat him Naruto, beat his pretty face to a bloody pulp and make him pay for he's done to you!' His mind screamed out to him and he obeyed, landing one raging fist into Sasuke's face after another.

Suffer. Suffer for the bastard that you are.

Sasuke face was hit from side to side as if it was nothing and slowly blood started to get smeared all over the pale face as the wounds on it were opening up more and more by every hit.

Overjoyed that I left right?

Like..

Everybody..

Else!

Sasuke couldn't even keep up with him anymore and tried to shield his face with his one free hand but it was constantly being slammed to the side by Naruto's fists. He could taste the iron in his mouth and felt liquid flow down the corner of his mouth as it became harder to breath with such a killing machine sitting on top of him now. His vision started to haze with red and his mind was going numb.

Naruto was simply blinded by his rage to even see what he was doing. Sasuke couldn't keep his free hand up anymore and let if fall by his side, taking in all the damage Naruto was giving him.

This was enough.

Sasuke pulled himself together once more and slowly reached up to grab Naruto by the shirt, his move apparently not threatening enough for the raging ninja to be noticed. Then with a final push of strength, Sasuke pulled him down by the shirt and pressed his lips on Naruto's in a quick kiss.

Naruto's next punch stopped dead in his tracks and Sasuke saw through the redness the blue eyes change from lethal fury into confusion and surprise as he stopped kiss, having only lasted a split second.

Sasuke smirked and the feeling of a kiss that seemed to have lasted for minutes lingering as his mind slowly faded to a black. Naruto stared at him, frozen.

"That's enough Naruto.." Sasuke whispered. "Enough.." He fell back, the muscles in his abdomen too painful and beaten to keep his body up anymore and he let go of Naruto's shirt.

Naruto reached up and touched his lips with his hand, unbelieving what had just happened. But through all the stinging in his lips, he could still feel the lingering warmth and softness of Sasuke's lips. He had kissed him, again, deliberately this time..

His mind had calmed down instantly and as he looked down the bloody body of Sasuke underneath him, beaten to a bloody pulp like his mind had told him to do, he realised it was just in time. He could have easily have killed him. Like this, even with the seals on him.

He looked at his hands for a second and shook his head at how easy it had been to beat Sasuke into the mess he was now. Again. He change his focus back to the panting and coughing young man below him and a feeling of utter guilt and pain washed over him. His eye was a bloody mess, the cheeks were cut and bruised from the beating and seeing him cough like that signaled that also his lungs and chest were hurt pretty badly.

He jumped away to give Sasuke some air and sat beside him, quickly stroking his hair twice not knowing what to do else.

"Gods.. I'm sorry! I'm so sorry.." He whispered, fearing that his own voice was too loud in this moment.

"...Yeah.." Sasuke groaned and looked at Naruto. "Good that.. I stop you.." He gave a faint smile to him as he closed his eyes and let the darkness wash over him as his body was too tired to do anything at the time and

"Yeah.." Naruto softly said as he thought about it again. Sasuke had kissed him and it had calmed him instantly. He had kissed him...

Naruto fazed out for a second. It had felt nice, like cool rain on a hot day. The softness of his lips and his heat had startled him together with the surprise of being kissed. But the surprise of the kiss quickly went away as he realised an even more frightening thing.

He had said his name. His own name. He had said Naruto... Not important right now.

He had to get him healed..

"Ow! Jeez.. Easy!"

"Shut up!" Naruto growled as he pulled back his tweezers with a cotton filled with alcohol. "Be a man and bear it."

"Just watch where you're poking that thing!"

"Oh shut up will you? You sound like a sissy." Naruto went back to cleaning the wounds on Sasuke's face.

"It hurts!" Sasuke hissed at the alcohol stinging in the wound below his right eye. "Jeez.."

"Will you quit whining for a second and let me fix this? Or Tsunade is the only other option."

"Are you mad? She'd have my guts for breakfast.."

"Why? You need healing right?"

"Yeah, but I can fix this myself."

"I'm fixing it right now." Naruto frowned.

"That's beside the point. If that woman found out how far I went with training, she will... Gah.. Nevermind." He sniffed and turned around to let Naruto take care of the wounds in the back of his neck.

Naruto chuckled. He wasn't sure what Tsunade would do, but he did know that she was one angry woman not to have fights with.

"Che.. Didn't know you had become such a coward." He smirked.

"Shut up and clean the wounds."

"Oy! I'm not your servant to clean after your own wounds you know!"

"If I am not mistaken, I'm not the one who put them there dobe!"

"..."

"Jeez.. Just hurry up." Sasuke grunted and looked at everything but Naruto. The sun had just set and the fading red at the horizon was being replaced by the velvet blue of the night sky, their faces only being lit by a bright moon shining above the village.

They remained silent like they had done mostly since the fight and he had passed out. He had woken up by an ice-cold pack on his head and Naruto sitting by his side, softly slapping his face to snap him out of it. He had woken up with the realisation that he knew the voice, that he knew the face and that they fit together like a puzzle, releaving him of the odd feeling he had had about the stranger ever since he had arrived.

"Anou na..." A soft voice said, pulling him back to the here and now again. He knew the voice and onconsciously he thought about how relieved he was that he would see a face he had deemed lost two years ago.

"What?"

"How did you know?"

"Know what?"

"Who I was. When did you figure it out?"

"Why did you wait to ask me that until now?" He countered. Naruto hadn't said much for the past three hours so why would he suddenly ask a thing like this, at a time like this?

"I don't know.."

"Hmf.."

They fell silent again, the silence only broken by Sasuke's hisses at the stings of the cold alcohol on his bruised skin.

He looked to the ground, the corners of his eye catching his chest which was become increasingly dark blue as the bruises under his skin started to age. He looked like he had been inside a washing machine and tumbled on maximum together with a batch of fresh rocks.

Sasuke listened to the sound of Naruto breathing right him. A sound he hadn't really listened to but it was a sound he had missed for two years. The rythmic shallow breathing with a hint of his voice was surreal after hearing that voice scream out as a savage. He closed his eyes for a moment as his breath rolled over a shoulder, cool and sweet on hot and burning skin.

The moment was instantly broken as Naruto whiped the skin off with another alchohol drenched piece of cotton and he hissed loudly, the cold ball feeling like a thousand needles on his already painful shoulder.

"You never do anything quietly do you." Naruto asked as he dipped a new piece of cotton in the alcohol and throwing away the 15th old one.

"I always do things quietly." Sasuke grunted, annoyed by the lingering sting.

"Sure."

"Shut up."

Naruto grinned for a second. Actually, Sasuke always appeared silent but he never was. He was always there, always causing a stir by just being there or opening that rude cold mouth of his. Just his presence was always enough to make girls squeel, guys groan, people to go nervous and god-knows-what.

Even ending a battle that went way too far couldn't be done quietly. I would have stopped if he had passed out, Naruto assured himself, but instead he had to..

He sighed. That cold mouth of his still could feel pretty warm..

"Hey.." Sasuke said, his voice sounding pretty loud in the heavy silence around them.

"Hn?"

"It was the voice and the scars."

"What?"

"What gave you away."

"Eh?" Naruto slapped a hand over his cheek and when he removed all clean he realised that he hadn't even thought of putting the paint back on his face after he had washed the blood off after the fight.

"But I washed my face only after our fight.." He whispered.

"Yeah I know. But um... I hit you in your face so many times that your paint got smeared and the blood washed it away. Partially. I think." He sighed.

Naruto fell silent. He hadn't thought of that in the heat of battle, when blind fury had taken over his mind so badly that he hadn't even thought twice about keeping his appearance up.

"And your scent.." Sasuke looked back for a second, just to see the expression of Naruto's face as he told him. He bent slightly forward and sniffed the air.

"You know.. I didn't really think of your marks when I was fazing out."

"You didn't? Then why.."

"When I kissed you, you smelled like sun even through all the blood on you. Only person smelled like that.. So that gave it away I guess."

Naruto blushed slightly. Sasuke had been so close that he could make out his scent, a scent he never even was aware of having.

"I added one and one. Heh, don't ask me why though. But your smell, and the marks.. and the fury and the things you said just made it clear I guess."

"Oh.."

"Yeah.."

Sasuke turned back, feeling his face turn hot as a blush spread on his cheeks as well and an awkward silence fell on them once more.

Minutes passed and Naruto turned back to Sasuke's wounds again. He didn't know what to think right now. Everything, the fight, the kiss, it was all almost becoming too much for him. Everything had changed now and he didn't know what to do with it anymore, let alone knowing how to face Sasuke or to be around him now.

"Hey.." He asked as he cleaned the last wound and started to pack the things to bring them back into the house.

"What?" Sasuke turned around to face him.

"Why did you let yourself be beaten like this?" Naruto stood up.

Sasuke looked away for a second and seemed to be thinking hard about something.

".... Many reasons..." He whispered.

"But why? I could have killed you again you know."

"I know." Sasuke stood up as well and patted the back of his pants from sitting on the ground. "Hm. Consider it a risk to be taken."

Naruto frowned.

Sasuke just sighed and scratched the back of his head, looking like he was taken into an embarassing moment.

"Yeah well. I was to train you so I thought of the only way to bring a persons own chakra out and that either of the loss of someone precious to an enemy or to be furious about something."

Naruto nodded. That made sense enough.

"So I don't know what I am to you but I figured that you didn't want to kill someone so I kinda combined both reasons."

He looked at Naruto, trying to find an answer to his method. He hadn't asked it, he had forced it onto Naruto and now that he knew who he was, he wondered if he should have used it in the first place.

Naruto only looked down to the ground. He didn't know the answer either. He wasnt sure what Sasuke was to him. He had considered him being a friend, maybe even a new friend now. But in his mind also lingered the thoughts on how he had been treated by him when he was still in Konoha. Then, he had felt like he had been stabbed in the back every day by seeing the dark-haired boy around with sakura or their mutual friends, flaunting his power and superiourity without even knowing it.

He had agreed on training him, but had been beaten severely in the process. Why was he willing to do that? Why for him?

"Its a ninja code remember?" Sasuke asked but on seeing Naruto's blank face, deeply in thought, he figured he should remind him. Perhaps.. in the past two years, Naruto had forgotten all about what being a ninja was all about.

"Kakashi said it when we first met him."

Naruto looked up, wondering what he was trying to say and hoping that it would provide an answer for him.

"Ninja's that disobey orders are considered scum. But ninja's that abandon their friends because of it are even considered worse scum." He took a step onto the porch and stretched his sore muscles.

"Heh.. I see.." Naruto softly said. He gave an answer alright. He would have let himself beaten so he would unlock Naruto's dormant chakra. He would have done it for any ninja. Leaving him troubled with his chakra and remain safe himself would be something done according to the rules, nobody would have been allowed to be beaten to death for the sake of training. And yet he had done it, for the sake of helping a fellow ninja out.

Naruto chuckled as he noticed Sasuke walk past him into the house. How stupid. He had actually thought and maybe even believed that Sasuke had done that for him alone.

So even the kiss... It wasnt for him really. It hadn't been for him.. Anybody would have stopped fighting if a guy kissed a guy like that. But he had liked it, it had felt nice enough to make him believe for a second that Sasuke.. That he might.. No. Anybody would have stopped. It was just a way of self-protection..

He dismissed all thoughts of that kind and together with that, all the thoughts about the fight and the kiss and softly walked back into the house to follow Sasuke and go to sleep. But as he walked and cleaned the bloodied tweezer and disposed of the bloodied cotton balls, he found it extremely hard not to think about it and he knew that even though his body was exhausted, he wouldnt be able to fall asleep for a long while.


	16. 15 Misconception

Hiya, Anduir here.

My estimate is that I am now only half-way through the story, and I already broke the 100 page barrier. My god.. I never expected that. I bet I shouldn't have done that, I'm way too elaborate about describing and setting a mood and scene. I'm sorry about that.. It must be my training.

At school (game-design) we have story-writing now and it causes me to read over this story again and again, adapting it all the time. Che, my teachers scolded me for being so perfectionistic. But I am now being trained in plot, conversation, settings and semiotics. Gah, that just means that I'm truly building this story instead of going with the flow. So for once, you are treated to a real plot and a real story. But on the other hand, it's long. Very long. So. crosses arms I know I am going slow alright? Just bear with me.. (I hope I won't lose reviews for saying this..) I want a good story here. Not just hump-hump the bear they have sex and its all fine. If I wanted that, I would have been done in a mere 15 pages. (maybe even with a plot, but it would be too lame)

At this point, I guess I'm going to give you, the readers, a choice in how this story should go on.

There are two choices: going for the plot, or going for the relationship. If you chose plot, then there will be a relationship, but it will take a while to develop and it will be honest and true. If you chose relationship, then I will speed up the development and ignore my plot. So in that case, you will quickly see them making out and things like that, but it might seem rushed and unnatural.

I can do either of them, but at this point I want to know what YOU want to read. So please let me know okay? I would appreciate it a lot :3

Now back to the order of the day.

I got complaints that I have a lot of typo's. sigh I know that. English isnt my first language and I can't install an english spelling-check on this computer. So I'm sorry.. very very sorry. I'm doing the best I can. But this old dutchy, without a beta, and without the same knowledge as you guys have with english, is prone to make mistakes.. I'm sorry.

I've talked too much.

Please read and review 3

Pairing: sasu x naru

Disclaimer: i'd own them if i was a bleedin billionaire and could make kishimoto my slave (he is hot!)

Warning: swearing. Big hints of shonen-ai

_Chapter fifteen: Misconception_

"Hey. Wake up already."

"Oye.. just a little longer.." Naruto muffled his plea for more sleep in his pillow.

"It's already 9. Wake up."

"Aah... Like I give a rats ass about the time."

Sasuke sighed. Oh well then.. he thought as he grabbed a corner of the matras and flipped Naruto over.

"Kisama! Sasuke you ass!" Came a yelp from underneath the pile of blankets and pillows.

"Whatever. Clean your mess up. Breakfast is ready."

"Clean this mess up? I didn't make it!" He huffed as he threw a pillow away.

"You just did."

"Sasuke teme..." Naruto balled a fist. "If the girls knew what a jerk you still are. And I thought you had changed a bit."

"Yeah, so? From what I am seeing now, you didn't change either."

"Che.. Shut up. Its tough waking up from sleeping on a matrass."

"Whatever princess."

"Shut up!"

"Clean up."

"Whatever.." Naruto growled and packed all the blankets and matrass in one big ball and shoved it in the closet. Easy.

He yawned and stretched as he walked to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. His cheeks were littered with several small bright blue bruises and dark red cuts.

Naruto pinched his brows and groaned at the thick numb pain coming from a bruise nearby. The kyuubi had always come in handy for small wounds. Bruises, cuts, little sprains and things like that would always heal within a few hours or even minutes, depending on how tired he was and how much chakra he had used that fight.

Buuuut.. he couldn't rely on the kyuubi now anyway since he was still sealed. Ouch.. He rubbed a cut with his thumb. It felt strange having wounds like these again and not knowing when the would be healed. How long did wounds like this take to heal anyway?

I look like shit.

He sighed and figured it'd be good to leave beauty matters for another time. But as soon as he walked into the kitchen and saw Sasuke reading a newspaper, he resisted the wonderful smell of fresh coffee in the morning and instead grabbed the paper and pulled it out of the dark shinobi's hands.

Sasuke's face was just as battered as his and he had to supress the urge to snicker at the bright blue color of his right eye and the symmetry of the cuts on his neck and near his mouth.

The pale color of his face only made them stand out more. It looked actually quite rediculous to see that perfect face wounded so badly and he chuckled. Mission complete, part of his mind said. You wouldnt hurt him again, the other part said. He quickly thought about that promise he made to himself, not to hurt Sasuke again that badly and even though the wounds looked shallow on the outside, the real big wounds would be underneath that perfect skin.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and reached out to grab the paper back from Naruto's hands.

Naruto gasped slightly as he saw a part from his shirt fall open and reveal a chest wrapped in a thick layer of red stained bandages.

"What?" Sasuke asked, snatching the paper back.

"You.. uh.. your.."

"Oh that. Some idiot decided to sit on my bruised stomach and break some more skin and two bones in the process." He contined reading and ignored Naruto.

Broke his bones.. Shimatta.. Naruto thought, he had forgotten all about the previous assault he had done to Sasuke during their fight yesterday. Sasuke must have been in real pain already before fighting so all out on him or taking all those blows in a row, the muscles still weak and fragile after his cutting.

But if he had known it, or should he say if he had remembered it at that time, would he still have stopped? He had been so furious, so hurt and washed away in his emotions. All his rage from the past two years came floating up as he fought Sasuke for real again. It had been a mixed feeling of damaged pride, revenge and envy..

Sasuke had lived in Konoha for all that time, he had been safe, he had a house and friends he could turn too. He had been strong and always ahead of Naruto in every way. With girls, with people around him. He had a safe place and a home.

Naruto sat down and popped four sugarcubes in his coffee. Ever since he left, he had missed sugar. Just sugar. Sasuke had always had sugar, he probably didn't even know what it tasted like after being two years without such a lovely taste and after two weeks, Naruto still ate it like he would never have enough for the rest of his life.

Simple things. Simple things he had missed all that time too. A matras. Sugar. Coffee. A newspaper to read what was going on in the country around them.

Naruto grinned and sipped his coffee.

Sasuke had been lucky. He might have finally beaten him with his own power, be it that Sasuke was weaker than he used to be but still.. Sasuke was still the victor here. He had it all.. the things that really mattered.

"You're a lucky devil, you know that?" He softly said.

"Why would you think that?"

Naruto put his cup of coffee back down and looked at the things in front of him, nudging his head to the sugar and the bowl of steaming rice.

"You have this. All of this."

"It's only food."

"But you have it. You have things like sugar, like pure rice and fresh water running from your tap."

Sasuke put down his paper and looked at him.

"You had it all too."

Naruto sighed. Maybe he was right. Maybe he had it all too before he left. But not nearly as much as Sasuke had.

"No. I didn't."

"Yes you did. But you left it all behind." He put his paper away and slid his chair towards Naruto and narrowed his eyes.

"And for what reason did you leave it all behind then if you valued it so much? What could be so important that you would leave it all behind and call me lucky now after even beating the crap out of me!" He hissed, his eyes now turned into tiny dark dots.

Naruto hesitated. What had been the point in leaving anyway at that time, beside the kyuubi.

"Defeating the demon inside me."

"That is it!" Sasuke yelled at him. "Thats all? You could have done that right here! With someone to look after you if it was too dangerous!"

"Oh yeah? Like who then Sasuke! Kakashi refused because it was too dangerous and so did Jiraiya and every other good shinobi that knew of that mission!"

"They didn't ask!"

"What? They asked those who they could ask!"

Sasuke growled and looked away for a second before turning back.

"Tsunade gave you the order right?"

"Yeah.."

"Then why didn't she ask Sakura to go with you so you could be healed? Why didn't she ask Lee to help you force it out like I did yesterday? Why didn't she ask for shikamaru for what the fastest way would be to defeat it? Dammit..."

"Sasuke.. we couldn't put them in danger. Its was as easy as that.."

"I wouldnt have minded!"

Naruto blinked.

"What?"

"Jeez.." Sasuke slid a hand through his dark hair and looked away again. "I wouldnt have minded the danger! Being a ninja is teamwork.. I could have helped you."

Naruto couldn't believe his ears and refused to accept the words that were said by the boy he had always thought of to be uncaring and cold, glad to be rid of the pest that swarmed around him and made his life miserable, Naruto.

"You're lying.. you never did anything for me! Don't start acting like you cared then!"

"I didn't do anything for you? I had been willing to get killed for you that time we fought Haku Naruto!"

Naruto fell silent. That was true... he hadnt been killed that time, but it had seemed so for both of them. It had been the reason, the loss of Sasuke, that had unleashed the kyuubi inside of him.

"Don't tell me I am lying if I tell you that I wouldnt have done it a second time.."

"Oh shut up! I was trash to you! You fought me, tortured me and ignored me! You had people around you who loved you and I had nobody! I thought that time with haku that you were diffirent from everybody else and I admit that I wished you to be my friend but you kept on beating me down and rubbing salt in my wounds!"

"I was your friend!"

Naruto shook his head. He had never been his friend. All he did was to humiliate him or grind his face in the dust for his own pleasure.

"Che. All the fangirls walking behind your pretty ass.. Everybody loved you and everybody despised me. We could never be friends."

"So it seemed, yeah." Sasuke glared at Naruto. "So stop drowning in your pool of self-pity."

"What?"

"You think you had it so bad Naruto? You really think so? You are just as guilty as you claim I am for not seeing what people did to you."

Naruto crossed his arms and stared right back in the deep black orbs of Sasuke. This he had to hear.

"I had people walking around me all the time, but did you ever wonder if I wanted that? All they wanted are my title or my looks! Fangirls.. jeez, all they wanted was a strong pretty-boy they could show their friends. Nobody ever asked me how I felt about something, like I wasnt there. People treated me like a precious object, nice to look at but it should keep quiet. Or they wanted pure power or smarts, but no, nobody ever wondered who I really was!

You, you had friends who liked you for who you were! I had people swarming around me calling themselves my friends, who only like me for my looks or my brains."

He sighed and fell silent for a second, apparently thinking about something.

"When we fought, I did it because I thought I knew why you fought me. And I liked it."

Naruto frowned.

"Why I fought you?"

"Yeah, you fought me because you thought I was someone to match up against. For who I was. At least.. that's what I thought you fought me for."

And please don't prove me wrong, Sasuke thought, knowing he couldn't say the words out loud even if he wanted to.

"Yeah well.."

"So I considered you my friend, maybe my only one, because you were yourself around me and did what you wanted to do and what you liked. Not what I wanted or liked like everybody else."

He looked up at Naruto, wondering about his reaction. This was so stupid. What was he doing now, saying such personal things all of a sudden, to Naruto of all people. But then again..

"And you left."

Naruto sighed, feeling all his rage fade away slowly. He hadnt thought of that.. He had always thought Sasuke was the lucky one with all the friends and love he could wish for. But he had always been a bit a like him and he never realised it. Sasuke had been just as alone as he was and somewhere he had felt he knew that deep down but never realised it out loud. If he put it that way, maybe he had been the lucky one.

"I hope I'm not wrong about what I said." Sasuke sighed and got up to pour himself another cup of coffee. "Man.. I hate this stuff.. just forget about it."

"I'm sorry.." Naruto softly said, barely loud enough for Sasuke to hear. "I guess I was.. wrong."

"Yeah well.."

Both fell silent and simply did nothing, deeply sunk in their own thoughts.

"I guess I was blind to what I left behind."

He chuckled. He had been so blind indeed..

Sasuke chuckled lightly and folded his paper up and took his cup to the sink.

"When I think of it.. How old were we Naruto? No matter how skilled a shinobi is, he will always answer to his age. Kids. Thats what we were. And kids never see what they have, only what the others have."

Naruto blinked and smiled. Sasuke was right. He hated to admit it, but he was right. He had been a kid indeed, only focussing on what others around him had, and especially what Sasuke had. He had sakura if he wanted, the house, everything. But didn't he himself have sakura too in a way? She had always been a dear friend and he should have treasured it instead of looking in jealousy at Sasuke and her, forgetting about himself and what he had.

He started to chuckle as he even thought more about it. To be short, he thought, Sasuke had been jealous of him and he had been jealous of him. Running around in a vicious circle with no end. Jealousy.. such a childish and cruel thing and here he was, hearing Sasuke confess to him that he had been jealous. Oh, this was precious, he thought as his chuckle turned into a laughter.

"What?" Sasuke asked, frowning at the sudden outburst.

Naruto's laughter slowed down. How could he have been so stupid.. everyone around him had been right in some way or another and he hadnt seen it all. On the other hand, regrets were things he didn't like thinking about. He might have not listened to the people around them at that time, he had listened to Tsunade and then his heart. That heart had told him it had been good to go, that it was a good thing to try and defeat the kyuubi.

He could spend days whining about what he had missed in those days or what he had left behind and what he had gone through the time he was away. But that didn't get him anywhere. There was no such thing as regrets since he made them at that time, believing truly that it was the right thing to do.

"Hey." A hand swatted his head.

"What?"

"Jeez Naruto.." Somehow, it felt odd to say the name out loud after all this time. "Listen when I say something."

"Sorry." Naruto grinned, a bit thrilled to hear his real name being said by Sasuke. No pretending anymore. "What is it?"

"I said, now what?"

"Now what?"

"Yeah."

Naruto tilted his head, not understanding the question completely. Now what.. um.. shower? He ruffled his hair to see if it was dirty since Sasuke swatted him.

"Now what are you going to do?"

"Take a shower." Naruto got up from his seat and jolted to the bedroom, followed by a groaning Sasuke.

"What?"

"I don't know." Sasuke said softly, leaning against the wall, seeing Naruto sift through his drawers in search of a towel. This was going too fast and at the same time way too slow. "I hear your voice and see Naruto in your eyes and yet I am used to Ranaku and the possibilty that Naruto could very well be dead."

Naruto stopped his sifting and stood up straight, looking at the tall slender figure that was sliding a hand through his hair as if he didn't know what to say.

"You are here and it is hard to believe. And I'm the only one who knows."

"No, thats not true."

Sasuke looked at Naruto from underneath one of his bangs.

"Tsunade, Iruka and Kakashi know.. Kakashi found me first." He slid a hand over his arm, looking at the barely visable scars the surgery had left when the kyuubi had helped healing when he had enough energy. "I was wounded badly and needed help. The kyuubi only heals when I have enough strength and I was exhausted. I was near Konoha and the fracture hadnt healed for weeks by that time and I had enough of it. I couldn't fool Kakashi in being someone else, he knew instantly who I was." He sighed. "He took me to Tsunade to operate on me and I asked for Iruka. So they found out the first few minutes I was in Konoha."

Sasuke stood up straight, his face torn between surprise and anger.

"When was that?"

"About 17 days ago."

"But we only met you 10 days ago!"

"Yeah.. thats why I wanted Iruka. I didn't know what to do.."

"Dammit!" Sasuke hit the wall in fury.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Naruto shouted, getting annoyed by Sasuke who was so angry all of a sudden.

Sasuke growled and turned around.

"Nothing! It's nothing."

Sure, and I'm a blue mouse, Naruto thought.

"Don't give me such crap Sasuke."

"I don't have to tell you anything moron!" Sasuke spat at him. "Towels are in the bathroom."

Jeez.. I suck at these kind of things.. Sasuke thought. There were so many things he wanted to say, so many explanations he wanted to hear but they never really came. Maybe it was too soon, maybe the wounds of this confrontation were still to fresh and painful to be torn open any more. Bottom line was that he couldn't take it. All of the lies that had been around him and still were around him. As long as Naruto was in his house like this with the two teachers away, he didn't know what to do with him.

This boy, this guy was infecting him. He brought his problems and misery everywhere he went. That was Naruto, he guessed, he always had problems and complications but he never spoke them out loud. But he could sense it and it hurt him not being able to clear them up. Maybe not for Naruto, but maybe more for himself. The heaviness in the air around the guy he knew as ranaku and now again as Naruto, was the same.

And unwillingly perhaps, he had lied to him, had hurt him in a way he didn't suspect could have such an impact.

Why had he lied to him. Why had been under his nose and he hadnt even seen it was Naruto. Him, of all people, should know when a person as close to him as Naruto had become before he left, is under his very nose. Naruto hadnt said anything to him, had pretended to be someone else, had kept himself from him desperately and it had hurt him. Didn't the idiot know by now that he had considered him a friend and fooling him like this was like adding salt to a freshly torn wound.

Naruto leaving and disappearing had been heavy enough for him, not knowing if he was dead or alive somewhere. It had taken him weeks to understand his feelings that way and then several months accepting them, never speaking them out loud.

Che, did he even understand a glimpse of this all.. he thought. It was making him furious still. He needed time, time to adjust to this person he thought he once knew.

"Oh.. uh.. thanks."

Naruto walked past Sasuke and tried to sense what was wrong. Instead of being given an answer, he was confronted with coldness and a face twisted in fury. Sasuke radiated hatred and anger and Naruto didn't know why nor could understand it. He slowed down in his tracks to nudge Sasuke shoulder as a silent question for an explanation, like he used to do when they were younger, in the rare moment Sasuke opened up to him.

Instead, he was confronted with cold skin, closed off from everything.

"Naruto."

"Yeah?" He stopped as he stood in the door to the bathroom and looked back, hoping for an answer in Sasuke's eyes as much as he tried to find an answer inside of him. And he found one.

Sasuke sighed and opened his mouth to say something but Naruto beat him to it.

"Let's end this. I've had enough. This isn't getting us anywhere. Not me, not you, nobody."

"Huh?"

"It's all my fault. This. What happened to you, what happened to me, the things they are right now. I don't regret it and I won't regret anything. Ever."

"Naruto."

Naruto stepped back a bit and it struck Sasuke how sad he looked, something inside him must hurt as well, he thought as he went back to his earlier conversation. He couldn't tell Naruto how hurt he was, nor exactly explain why..

"Take a good look Sasuke."

Sasuke looked closely at Naruto, now grinning the way he had always had, the smile he thought had burned into his soul and had left forever.

"Last time Ranaku. In five minutes, I'm Naruto!"

Sasuke smirked. He still couldn't see how he changed and he sometimes saw someone completely diffirent. But this.. this was Naruto, the real Naruto.

Naruto walked over to him and smiled, stroking the dark long hair. Startled by the gesture, Sasuke took a step back, not knowing what to do with the intimate touch.

"Naruto is back and I will face the consequences of it." He paused and looked into Sasuke's eyes, praying that the coldness, the familiar feeling as when they first met, was gone. "I'm sorry for everything Sasuke." He said, giving a small kiss on his bruised cheek.

Sasuke blushed madly and pushed him away.

"What the hell are you doing idiot?"

"Saying thanks." Naruto chuckled and disappeared in the bathroom and a few seconds later Sasuke could hear the shower being turned on and the smell of steam filled the room.

Sasuke's mind filled with a whirl of thoughts going so fast that he decided to wash them all away and ignore them. So he kissed him on the cheek. No big deal. Probably a way of saying thanks in some far away country or something and Sakura and Ino did it too so why the hell now.

Now stop blushing about it.


	17. 16 Reveal

I don't know what the hell happened with the chapter, but I'm reposting it now, the entry ramble altered. I was so pissed that it screwed up..

I'm sorry everybody, it didn't have the underscores and whatnot mistakes when I loaded it :S

Pairing: sasuke and naruto, kakashi and iruka

Disclaimer: if I owned them, I would shag Kishimoto. Oh yeah. That guy alone is worth it.

Warnings: yes, sasuke is being a dick. Uh wait… shonen ai.

Chapter sixteen: Reveal

"Uwaaah… that felt good!" Naruto stretched and smiled. "Hot showers are always so good.. Sorry I took so much longer than 5 minutes."

Like trying to wash away the stains that can't be seen on the outside, he thought. Not even these 30 minutes had felt enough.

"Done dobe?"

"Yup."

Sasuke turned around from the window he was looking out of to see Naruto, wondering if he really did change that much after just a shower.

He was proved terribly wrong as he looked at the man in front of him. His hair was no longer even a bit brown, but a strikingly bright blond. The marks on his face were more apparent than ever and his eyes shone a pure blue through the locks of yellow in front of his face. Naruto had cut his hair a bit so he wouldn't have to wear it a tail anymore and the familiar spikes stood up straight once again.

Naruto straightened his black shirt and started to roll up one of the long sleeves. As soon as he was done with that, he put his hands in his side and grinned like he used to do as a kid. Some things never really change.

Indeed..

Sasuke's eyes went down Naruto legs and noticed that he had managed to bring a pair of bright orange pants with him, a small black line running across the seams.

"What.. Where did you get that?" He asked, his inner self laughing out loud at the painful color on a grown-up man and especially someone like Naruto.

"Oh, it's my favorite. I never got the heart to throw it away." He pointed at some fixed holes at the bottom of his right leg.

Naruto sighed and looked at Sasuke, who gave a small nod and stopped leaning again the door.

They both knew that as soon as Naruto took a step out of their door that everyone except the really young kids, would recognise him immediately. The orange was a dead give-away, the blond spikey hair and the bright big eyes. If he opened his mouth and took his voice a pitch higher, everyone would even run in fear thinking that Naruto had returned, the destructive child Naruto, instead of the 18-year old standing there in front of him.

Naruto felt relieved somehow, even though his mind was more occupied by his fear of the people in Konoha. He could understand every reaction he would unlock with his presence. Fear, since he had been the one who had the demon inside him and they never knew that the reason for his absence had been destroying it. That he had failed his mission didnt matter, for them he was all the same. Powerful and destructive.

Maybe they would be happy. But a reason why they would wasnt something he could think off. Maybe only Sakura would be happy, she had been a friend no matter what. Maybe Lee would be happy, since they had shared so much and the dorky boy had become a good friend. He didnt know.

Maybe they would be angry because he had faked. Perhaps because he had pretended to be dead, or because he had disappeared.

He could understand every reason they would have in any case, but the reasons for the people being furious started to build up by the second.

Naruto put his hands in his pockets and smiled nervously.

"So, what do you think?"

"It's hideous."

Naruto dropped his head and groaned.

"Gah.."

"He he.." Sasuke chuckled. " But, it's Naruto. Orange.. Can you even stand out more?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke, as always dressed completely in black. He was only wearing a black shirt and even that had an orange print.

"Well, at least I dont get roasted alive in the sun outside."

"As if a bit of heat bothers me. Orangey."

"Shut up." Naruto chuckled. Well, at least he didnt have to do a lot of explaining when his old friends saw him.

"Hey."

"Hm?"

"You ready?"

Naruto looked to the ground for a moment and then nodded.

"Yup!"

Sasuke shook his head. It was as if the transformation was complete now. Everything Ranaku was gone as far as he could see. Enter Naruto. The loud idiot. The walking natural disaster. The one who was supposed to be dead..

"Konoha, I'm back!" He shouted as soon as he stepped outside.

"What has fired you all up all of a sudden? Dobe." Sasuke shut the door behind them, shielding his eyes against the radiant sun for a second, having left the comfortable darkness of his house.

"Yeah well.."

"From what I expected from your obsessed form of hiding these past few weeks, I didn't think you would be this eager to see everyone." He stated, crossing his arms.

"Heh, I should have known that you would expect that from me.."

"Two years might have passed but honestly, you didnt change at all."

Naruto nodded and took a few steps out to the street. Sasuke lived just outside of the center of Konoha, so the street was almost empty, save for a man with a kart filled with bags of rice.

"Yes I did."

Sasuke frowned and looked at him, wondering what he was talking about.

Naruto picked up the silent question and shook his head.

"Not yet."

"What?"

"I said not yet. I won't tell you yet." He smiled brightly. "A lot of things have happened in the past two years and I'm not going to tell you yet. Tell me Sasuke, is it that important to know right now?"

"I.."

He walked over to Sasuke and put a hand on his shoulder. To put it in black and white, they just met yesterday and it wasnt appropiate to tell Sasuke about the secrets and nightmares that haunted his mind at night.

Naruto chuckled and gave a smirk, flashing his pointed fangs for a split second.

"Are you that anxious to know everything about me?"

Sasuke blushed at the implied words.

Sasuke grunted and looked to the side, ignoring the bright blue happy eyes of Naruto in front of him. He used to be able to read everything from the idiot, but now, the guy was an enigma and it bothered him. He did change, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

His thoughts from before came rushing back.

It was Naruto on the outside, and a speck of him on the inside, but that was as far as he could see. For all he knew, Naruto was still that and as long as he didnt get to know everything about him, he wouldnt know if Naruto was back at all.

Just thinking that, Sasuke felt heat flow up to his cheeks. What had gotten him so damn interested in him all of a sudden anyway?

"Shut up. I dont care."

"That never changed did it."

"No. And it is never going to change either."

"But that is Sasuke I guess." He grinned and patted the shoulder once before removing his hand and turning around. "And I.. Hmf."

Naruto fell silent as he looked around. The trees, the heat, the houses and the way Sasuke replied to him were still the same. Everything except him..

"Hey Sasuke.. you didnt change did you?"

"No. Of course not."

Sasuke sighed. He in fact might have changed the most of all the people in Konoha for reasons he didnt want to see but every time he even thought about Naruto, those reasons came rushing back to his mind. He still refused them, period. But they had come back every single time and had changed them anyway. It wasnt the right time to talk about that with someone yet and he doubted if there would ever be a time that it would be possible.

"Good." Naruto sighed in a sad manner. "At least there is another point to hold onto when I start to lose it."

"Whatever."

"Hehe.."

"You done contemplating dobe?" Sasuke groaned. "You are dawdling."

"Yeah, you're right."

"Ready?"

"Yes."

Naruto balled his hand in a fist. Everyone.. It was a scary thought. All he wanted to do was run past them and say 'Hi' and then hit for the hills. Two years of solitude stood straight against the heap of people that might jump and the mixed feelings he would be overwhelmed by. Just great.. Why arent things ever going easy, he thought.

"Hey."

"Hn?"

"Oh for crying out loud.." Sasuke groaned and gave him a push in the direction of the center of the village. "I thought you said you were ready!" He said as he saw Naruto taking one step and stopping again.

"Yeah, I am. But I'm.. um.. kinda lost here. Where do I have to go?"

"To the center you idiot! Everyone is there!"

"Yeah yeah.. but isn't there a way to avoid me being buried underneath a whole village?"

"No. Not anymore. Now walk or I'll tie you up and drag you there with a gag in your mouth."

Naruto gulped. Not a pretty thought.

"Yeah yeah.. Okay. Okay!" He took one step, almost expecting a pounce by someone who recognised him. When that person didnt come, he took another. And another.

Finally they were walking and with each step, Naruto grew more confident that everything wouldnt be so bad. Sasuke trailed after him just in case the chicken decided to make a beeline for the hills.

The sooner this was over, the better and he heard Sasuke walk behind him as some sort of bodyguard.

"You dont have to watch my back you know."

"Yes I do. As long as I dont know anything about you, I can't trust you."

"Can't trust me? Oh come on.. you let me sleep in your house and.."

"Kakashi and Iruka's orders."

"Yeah well.. but you do know a bit about me right? We were comrades so you can trust me."

"That was two years ago. Hell knows what I can expect now."

"I'm not.. a killer or something Sasuke." He knew he lied. But if he told that to Sasuke, he would never look at him again or let him near. After all, if he knew that, who knew what else Naruto would be capable of? He did get into the village as some spy, and not all out in the open. Not much to trust if people knew that, especially if he was Naruto.

"Maybe you are. Maybe you are not. I dont care. But I am as hell not going to play babysitter over you who is afraid of his friends."

"I dont know if they are my friends." Naruto stopped walking and dropped his head.

"Oh hell! That again! Would you stop drowning in your self-pity and take responsibility? Wake up!"

"Yeah but.." Naruto looked up, something attracting his attention.

"...But?" Sasuke frowned, annoyed that he stopped in mid-sentence.

"What the.."

Sasuke looked up at Naruto and shifted his eyes to Naruto's focal point.

"Yo guys! Naruto, Sasuke!" A familiar voice shouted at them from a few feet away.

Leaning against a tree was kakashi, reading his book and iruka by his side, reading along over his shoulder. Kakashi slowly waved at the two and smirked underneath his mask.

"Nice weather eh?"

"Kakashi sensei you asshole!" Naruto growled and grit his teeth, leaping over to the pair of teachers.

"Ah! Naruto! Nice to see you outside too."

"You tricked me! You asshole!"

"Naruto?"

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks as an other voice besides the three men beside him called out to him.

"Naruto?" The voice asked again.

Naruto looked around to see whose voice it was. Soon a tall figure dressed in red and black tight clothes came into his view and two big black eyes stared at him.

"Lee.." Naruto whispered.

Iruka smiled and put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder.

"We'll talk to you later. Sasuke, we expect a report from you. Ja!" Both ninja's vanished in a puff of smoking, leaving behind an annoyed Sasuke and a startled Naruto.

"Yeah." Sasuke sighed and crossed his arms. Babysitter eh? Jeez.. How annoying.

He turned to Naruto, frozen in his tracks and his face utterly blank. There we go.. he thought.

Lee walked over to Naruto, his large braid swaying elegantly behind him with every step.

Getting to him, he reached out with a hand and softly touched Naruto's hair. Naruto followed every move he made, unable to do anything, his thoughts frozen in his head.

"Is this a joke? Konohamaru, did you transform into Naruto again?" Lee chuckled and janked the lock of hair.

"Ow!" Naruto shouted, pulled back to reality by the tug. "Dammit Thickbrows! You didnt have to pull my hair! Jeez!"

Lee gasped in shock and let go of the hair.

Naruto sighed. Nothing for it now..

"Ohayo.." He said without emotion, not knowing what else to say.

"You.." Lee whispered, looking up and down Naruto for a second before he opened his mouth again.

"I never thought your hair would grow that long Lee." Naruto said with a stupid grin on is face. He felt so.. stupid.. all the things he had planned on saying, or thought about saying, were gone and all he could say was that his hair grew long? Idiot!

"You.."

"Hmm?" Naruto blinked.

"You jerk!" Lee pulled his arm back and swiped at Naruto, punching him right across the face.

"What the.. What is wrong with you?" Naruto hissed, hand slapped over his throbbing jaw.

"You big idiot! Why did you leave? Everyone thought you were dead! Did you even consider how we all felt when you left? Every time an Anbu returned to the village we expected him to be carrying your corpse and we would have to mourn all over again! What were you thinking you asshole! You selfish bastard! Leaving just like that and returning here saying 'Hi'?"

"Yeah well.. I.."

"You piece of shit.." Lee hissed, his clenched fist trembling with fury. "How about Sakura? Did you think of her? She was devastated by your leaving without a word! Even Sasuke.."

"Stop it Lee." Sasuke stopped the young man in mid-sentence.

"Sasuke.. you.. but you, when he.."

"What about Sasuke?" Naruto frowned, looking at the person who was just brought up in the one-man conversation.

"Nevermind." The dark-haired shinobi said to him before turning to Lee. "Stop it. He knows."

"How can he know? How can someone possibly know what happens when you leave without a trail and leaving us with nothing but the thought that for all we know he might have been dead and in a ditch somewhere?"

"Stop beating him up over that."

"But Sasuke! You of all people!"

"Forget about that now. He is back. Isn't that what is most important right now?" He put a hand on Lee's shoulder, calming him down.

Lee sighed, looking in the others eyes, reading his intentions.

"Dammit.." He looked to the ground and released his fists from their painful clench.

Naruto sighed and decided that it was best to leave his thought about what Sasuke had done while he was gone alone.

Instead, he opened his arms and pulled the tall man in his arms. Hesitantly, Lee put his arms around his waist and buried his face in his shoulder, Naruto now being taller than him.

"I'm sorry.." Naruto whispered softly. He had no idea that him leaving would have had such an impact on the dorky overly energetic ninja.

Lee tightened the hug, overdoing it at a point that Naruto swore he heard his spine crackle underneath the pressure.

"Hey hey.. You are still strong." He chuckled, not minding it that much.

"You asshole.." Lee let go and pushed him away, his eyes suddenly swollen and red. "Don't you ever pull that stunt again."

"I won't. I guess.." He hesitated. He just didnt know.

"Good." Lee chuckled. "Because if you do, I will personally tie you up and crush your bones."

Naruto grinned.

"I might be scared if I knew you have been training."

"Heh, I did. Neji helped me and I am no longer a taijustu fighter. Neji he.." He looked to the side with a blush on his cheeks. "We um.. Well.."

Naruto laughed out at the stammering of Lee.

"Hey, dont worry." He patted Lee on the shoulder. "I know."

"What? How?" Lee widened his eyes.

"He has been here for two weeks already Lee." Sasuke said in his usual annoyed low voice. This was getting old.

"WHAT?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly.

"Um.. yeah.." He tried to focus some of his new-found chakra and looked to the side in the reflection of a window, sighing relieved when he saw his hair change and his eyes went green.

"Look familiar?" He asked Lee.

"Oh! Holy... Ranaku?" Lee hissed, pissed that he had been deceived all the time.

"Yeah.. Yato." Naruto waved slowly at him in greeting, dropping the chakra since it was wearing him out already. He needed to develop it more before using it all the time, he figured, he had only gotten it a few days ago after all. He saw Lee trembling and patted him on a shoulder, not wanting to go into details about being Ranaku. "Hey.. I'm back remember?"

Lee softly nodded and glared at Naruto. When he saw the familiar pure blue eyes shining at him, he felt his muscles relax and he sighed.

"And that is all that matters."

Naruto grinned and scratched the back of his head.

"I'm glad you think that way."

"Yeah, for now." Lee smirked. "I'm not sure how everyone is going to react to you though. I might imagine Sakura crushing your bones, Neji clogging all your chakra and throwing you off a cliff.. or how about Chouji. He could tie you up for days and eat constantly right in front of you. I might enjoy watching that."

"Aw you dont mean that!" Naruto whined.

"Well... I might.." Lee tried to look very evil with his smirk, but that combined with his large braid and tight clothes, he just looked rediculous.

"Keep you face like that and it might get stuck there." Naruto teased his old friend, amused by the funny combination of expression in body and face.

"He he."

"You guys done with the bonding?"

Naruto and Lee turned their heads to Sasuke who had snarled at them.

"Sasuke. Whatever is your problem?" The orange and black clad ninja asked, starting to get annoyed by Sasuke grumpy behaviour all day. And it wasnt even noon yet..

Sasuke looked to the side and grunted something Naruto couldn't quite hear. Whatever, he thought, be a prick all day long for all I care. Its not like he had changed at all.

"Nothing. Let's just go."

"You know, if you hate it this much, why even follow me around?"

"I'm seriously started to question that myself." Sasuke left his spot under the tree and walked over to Naruto and Lee.

He looked up and down the two. It was as if nothing ever happened and he started to question the past two years. Two years wasn't all that long. It was just 104 weeks and weeks went by like minutes. Then why had it felt like two years was only a fraction of the time that had seemed to go by?

And that thing that kept coming up in almost every thought, every emotion and every move he made, change. That simple word, six letters, repeated over and over again, meaningless on its own. Why was it so important all of a sudden?

Had he really changed as he believed he did? He had become a jounin, he was in the running of becoming an Anbu. He was certainly more skilled now, faster and stronger. But all of that, what did it matter anyway.

Sasuke sniffed, stifling a chuckle as he realised something.

Something had changed indeed and it wasnt a good thing. These two years, since Naruto had went away, he had grown cold. Cold as ice and nobody had been able to even scratch the surface of it.

Surely he had treated Naruto like dirt when they were young, he knew that very well, but he excused his behaviour as jealousy and maybe because he had been uneasy around the open bright boy while he himself was so closed off. He had been impressed how Naruto could have been so bright and cheery even though he was always alone. He had put everyone into place who doubted Naruto and had judged him as being lazy and too free. He had been jealous at the strenght he had pulled out of himself, even if his situation was as worse as it could get.

Sasuke himself however, chose to close off. Scurry away in his own mind and deny every emotion around him except hatred. Hatred was the only emotion he could rely on, afraid that any other emotion could provide an opportunity to hurt him even more.

Sasuke the coward, running away from basic emotions. Naruto, the loud ninja whose strength in emotion and power seemed to have no end. The status between perfect student and drop-out was the perfect opportunity for Sasuke to keep his face up in front of everybody, wanting them to think he was the strongest one of all, the most controlled. Losing his face and letting Naruto walk over him would mean that he truly had nothing.

It was all clear to him now. He had grown so cold that a friendship he always hoped to have with Naruto couldn't even be built again after two years. The way Lee and Naruto had instantly connected after two years had blown him away. Like nothing had changed between the two ever, time had stood still and their friendship had only continued as their time together had continued as well.

He and Naruto however, never had a solid relationship even though they both might have wanted it. Unsteady and fragile and could easily be broken now again. For a relationship like that, the two years had truly been an eternity.

Sasuke wanted the coldness to be gone now, finally. His jealousy over Naruto and Lee had a purpose and he knew exactly what it meant.

He wasnt going to ruin his life in coldness again, he had had enough of it. Everyone had changed and he had seen it all. Only he knew that their hearts had changed because of grief and the realisation what they had lost when it was gone, Naruto. He knew that Naruto's fear of people hating him even more now was ungrounded. Only his heart had grown cold and shielded. He might as well have been the only person who changed into somebody worse.

Now it was time for him to change.


	18. 17 Tonight

I have no bloody clue what went wrong again. It must be the format my dear Tyranimo sent it in (it was pretty large and odd) but i couldnt see anything wrong with that version as soon as i fixed my errors.

Anyway, say hi to my beta! claps Tyranimo. He's going to help me with my spelling and form.

Format is fixed now, I hope. Enjoy the chap and I hope I can give you number 18 soon. School is a chaos. If you want to know whats going on, just wander by my LJ or site. Making a 3D movie and its a mess to be short. :)

Sorry again people, I promise to watch it more often for format mistakes . 

Chapter 17: Tonight

"Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked up at the voice; deep and still radiant. Come to think of it, Naruto could break eardrums with the power of his voice, he thought.

Naruto was staring at him, his arms crossed. Sasuke felt a corner on his mouth quirk up. The blue eyes were burning right through him, hotlike fire. He couldn't make out if they were furious, worried or curious. He just stared back, awed by the heat radiating from them. Was that warmth he saw coming from those eyes? Warmth from worry on his lack of reply? Was it burning heat from fury if the eyes shot arrows at the way he had behaved this last day and his whole life.

Hell knew what those eyes had seen and hell knew what they were seeing now. Then how in the world did it seem as if this warmth was coming from him after all he had been through?

"Sasuke. What is it?"

Sasuke waved the question away with a light wave of his hand, not breaking the contact with those eyes, haunting him in a light that he was afraid to accept. They were fascinating, mesmerizing and he was afraid of them, the honesty he used to see behind them and the mere fact that those same eyes were staring right back at him made him realise how fragile this moment was. For all he knew those eyes could vanish forever anytime. And he knew that he had thought they had done just that when he left. Somewhere deep down he knew that even though he was afraid of them and their confrontation, he had to cherish this moment. He didn't know when they may leave again, shaking him awake so violently.

"Hey.."

Two strong hands gripped his shoulders and shook him lightly before sliding down his shoulders and disappearing in Naruto's pockets. He blinked, breaking the contact for an instant before Naruto's eyes closed and turned away in all.

"Whatever. I understand if you hate me I guess. Just do what you want and I'll be off your back from now on." Naruto said in a low voice, a sigh ending the sentence.

No, hold on!

"Hey.." Sasuke whispered.

"I don't hate you."

Naruto turned back to look at him. Sasuke was looking down and Naruto felt it was a shame that he couldn't see the black eyes that hid so many secrets from him, or for anyone else for that matter.

"What?"

Sasuke slid a hand through his black hair and looked up with a smirk, reverting back into his harsh outer self.

"I was confused. Never mind it."

"Hn." Naruto nodded. "Whatever. You still want to be my babysitter then?"

Sasuke chuckled.

"If you put it that way. No. But if you want me around saving your ass from Sakura and Ino… Sure!"

Naruto smiled and flashed his white teeth.

"He he, thanks."

"Hey guys.." Lee broke into the conversation. "Are you saying that you're going to visit everybody one by one?"

"Well.. yeah. What else?" Naruto asked him with a frown. Wasn't that the only way to do it?

"Jeez.." Lee swung his long braid back again as he sighed. "I'd go nuts if I were you."

"No really." Sasuke huffed. "Guess what I have been through today?"

"Yeah.. I'm kinda nervous." Naruto added, his hand scratching the back of his head as if it was an extremely stupid thing.

"Why aren't you going to the Matsuri this evening instead? Everybody will be there and it'll be much faster and easier that way to present yourself." He explained, his hands lecturing as he said it and calculated the odds of meeting everyone in his head. "Imagine talking and explaining what happened to everybody one by one. It'll take you days!"

Naruto nodded. There was quite some truth in that.

"So if you gather a large group tonight, you'll be done in just one explanation." He nodded too. "I think." He pointed to a poster pinned

onto the wooden fence behind them. "See? Matsuri."

"Yeah!" Naruto shouted out, slapping Lee on the shoulders. "That's perfect! Thanks Lee."

"No problem." Lee smirked, knowing Naruto had enough trouble as it was and judging by the looks of Sasuke, he too was already through with it. "I'll see you there then tonight?"

"Yeah you bet!" Naruto grinned.

"Great, I'll see you two there then later. Be good now boys, no more fighting."

"Shut up." Sasuke growled, waving a hand as Lee left.

"Bye!" Naruto waved too and sighed once the tall boy was out of sight.

But as soon as he was gone he took a big step to Sasuke and grabbed him by the collar.

"You jerk! Why didn't you tell me that?"

"Idiot! Did you really think I knew? I hardly come in the village these days and I hate dancing and crowds."

"You... hate dancing?"

"Oh yes." He grabbed the wrists and yanked them from his shirt.

"But Matsuri is always sounds like fun."

"Yeah. To you maybe… I just hate the clinging around me and the loud music. I'd rather be alone you know."

Naruto chuckled and patted his head.

"Yeah, but this evening it's going to be me who is going to be clung to and questioned. You'll have a free evening that way and..." He clenched his fists and hissed. "Man.. this is going to be fun. It's been months since I last had a good party."

"Whatever. Without me this time."

"Iruka told me you were my teacher for a week."

"Yeah, when you were Ranaku dobe." Sasuke crossed his arms and looked away from the bright blue orbs beaming down at him. Dancing.. People… ugh.

"To them I still am. And you are going to have to teach me how to mingle with humans. That was part of the mission too. Ask Iruka."

Sasuke sighed. Oh man...

"Come on..."

Iruka had said indeed that he should get Ranaku up to the level of a normal Konoha villager so that all the ninja's would trust and allow him in their midst. That wasn't so different from Naruto now, learning to mingle too.

Damn it.. He was giving in way too fast.

"I can show it's going to be fun." Naruto smiled at him. "Trust me."

Be changed to 'I do, he thought. In an instant his mind screamed no but then slowly his heart began to say yes even louder. It was time to change wasn't it?

Oh what the hell...

"It's not as bad as it sounds..."

Whatever...

"Sure."

You better not make me lose my trust you idiot, he thought, having given in to his heart. Take a risk, follow your heart and allow people in. And perhaps now, with this blonde loudmouth, was the last moment to take the leap. I'm going to trust you, he wanted to say. But the words never made it past his lips.

"Great!"

Please don't prove I was wrong about taking a chance and accepting a change, Sasuke's mind said to him. But at the same time he felt content. Saying yes to such an event, with Naruto even, was a change by itself already.

This would be the first step of the next thousands steps he had to take. But one was already a huge bound compared to the halt he had been in all his life.

"So, you are going to go to the Matsuri this evening tonight and reveal yourself there?" Tsunade looked up from her paperwork in her office, filled with shadows as the afternoon sun set in and burned through the windows.

"Yeah. It was Lee's idea." Naruto stood in front of one of the windows, shielding his eyes against the low bright sun. From the corner of his eye he could just see the people of Konoha walk around on their errands far below him and in the distance, he saw the wooden stage slowly being built for the evening's performances.

He had always liked to be in high places, nice view, good strategic place.

"Smart idea, but risky."

"Risky?"

"Yes.. It's going to be crowded there and who knows what will happen if one them decides that it isn't a good thing that you returned? I don't want a fight and cause mass-panic there." She put away her papers and walked over next to him, looking down.

"I see that you want to stop pretending and tell everybody, but are you sure that you are up for this? If a jounin doesn't like you, you could very well be dead in an instant."

Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, I have been thinking about that too." He chuckled. "But that's not going to happen."

"How can you be so sure?" She asked him, her face twisted in worry.

"You said yourself that you were afraid of what could happen!"

"Yes I know. But I have been thinking and I know I have at least Lee and Sasuke behind me if I have to get into a fight." A smile slowly spread on his face.

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah. I don't know what happened with him this morning, but something was different."

"Yeah, he kissed you, you just told me."

Naruto blushed and turned his face away from her. Why did she have to remind him of that now of all times..

"Uh.. that's not it Tsunade-baba." He took a deep breath. "He was acting strange this morning. At least I think he was, since I don't know what he really is like these days. First he was just like I knew him, cold and ignorant. Then he became upset over something and then he became a complete asshole."

"Sounds like a real summer cloud. You never know what it's gonna do, but you watch it anyway."

Naruto blinked. She was right. The guy was just as unpredictable as a cornered cat.

"Yeah, just like that." He snickered as he thought what Sasuke would say if he found out that Tsunade had compared him to a summer cloud.

"Then when we met Lee, he changed into a complete asshole. And when I got pissed at his attitude, he just stared at me."

"Well.. that is Sasuke for you."

"Yes I know. But then he complied to go to that dance tonight."

Naruto could just feel the eyes of Sasuke grow to the size of dinner plates if he knew what they were talking about.

"I did do some convincing but then again, I didn't expect that."

"Sasuke at a dance.. He hates to be in crowds.." She mumbled.

They turned silent for a while as they both spent some time to their own thoughts.

Then it hit Tsunade and a smile spread over her face. The Uchiha, she thought, was the only one that turned completely cold without his opponent, the only one he could hold on to when everything around him was falling apart and that opponent was the same that made everything around him that solid. The status, the fighting, the differences and the similarities..

Sasuke never moved on, but instead had grown shielded, blocking everything out when even his last foothold had been gone.

Tsunade shook her head. Boys. So complicated on the outside, so easy to read inside.

"Well, I guess we can expect anything if it is Uchiha that is with you."

"Yeah, I guess so." Naruto chuckled.

"So, are you going to do it? Risk the danger of being trampled on by a lot of people?"

"No."

"Ah.. good. I thought it was a bad idea already."

"I don't only have Lee and Sasuke standing around me there."

"What?"

"They can offer nice protection. But then again, it is Sasuke who is there. For all I know he could very well ignore me and let me be trampled. And I don't know about Lee's skills with multiple foes."

"What are you getting at Uzumaki.." She said in a low voice. She didn't trust where this was going.

Naruto smirked and turned around to face her, giving her one of his trademark smiles.

"You are there too right?"

"Yeah but..."

"Then announce me and explain everything to the people. On stage." He interrupted her.

"What?" Her jaw fell to the ground. That much attention at once? Why?

"Are you nuts?"

"Nope! See it like this. You make my return official and the people will accept my return much faster too since you are alright with it.

Right?"

Tsunade frowned.

"Right." She sighed. That brat.. "So basically you want to run out and let me do the talking for you instead."

"Aw.." He lowered his head. He had hopened she didn't pick up his fear for the evening.

Tsunade chuckled at the beaten face of Naruto and walked to one of the build-in closets, opening one of the long doors.

"Alright. It might make things easier."

"Really?" Naruto's eyes widened in happiness. If she would do that, it would feel as if a huge pile of bricks was taken off his shoulders.

"Yes, maybe you deserve a little help after all you did." She rummaged in the closet. "Being beaten like that and forced too.. umpf.. release everything." She stood on her toes, apparently not able to reach something.

"Thank you so much Tsunade-baba! Oh man.. that helps a lot." He sighed in relief.

"...And you got kissed to boot.. Ah! Got it!"

Naruto looked to the side and pouted, his face heated in a blush. She sure was making fun of him since he told her about the training accident.

"Urusai ne..." He mumbled in reply.

"There we go." She dusted a box off with her hand and opened the lid to check if she had gotten what she wanted and closing it again when the content pleased her. "Yeah well, I'm just surprised he did that."

"Yeah, what guy kisses another guy…" He growled, trying hard to get the blood in his face to go elsewhere.

"Oh? I hadn't even thought about that." She frowned.

"Tsunade-baba!"

"Sorry sorry." She smiled. "I was thinking more that it was an ingenious way to stop you. Very clever."

Naruto blinked.

"But you seem to be more worked up about the kiss on its own then its purpose. Interesting."

"Shut up."

Tsunade chuckled at the pouting face. She knew she got him right where she wanted him.

"Anyway, there is of course, a catch."

"A catch?" Naruto asked, glad she changed the subject.

"I'll save your ass, and you will wear these for me." She dropped the box, holding on to a long dark piece of cloth. She fished another corner of it out of the folds, holding it up to him.

Naruto stared at it and groaned.

She held a long dark blue yukata with the pattern of flying cranes at the back and flowing down into a sea at the hem in a lighter shade of blue. The beaks of the birds stood out in bright orange and shimmered against the deep color of the background.

"A... a yukata?"

"Yes."

She smiled way too bright for this, he thought.

"You will wear this tonight. That is the catch for saving your ass."

"You have got to be kidding me.." He sighed.

"No. And you will wear it or you will have to solve everything on your own tonight."

He sighed and dropped his shoulders, defeated.

"Okay.. alright.."

"Oh don't give me that look Naruto." Inside she was laughing out loud at the precious look he made. "Consider it a gift, or a loan.

Everybody is wearing one tonight anyway. It's tradition, remember?"

"No.."

She sighed.

"That's because you never went to Matsuri here."

"Yeah.. but with a reason!"

"Now you have a reason and you will obey the rules."

"Hai.." He sighed. Yukata.. he had never worn one.

She tossed the long light kimono over to him and fished the small sash from the box at her feet.

"Don't worry. You'll feel better when you see everybody is wearing one."

"Sure.." He groaned, rubbing a finger over the fabric. It did feel nice and light but to wear it?

"Keep your chin up Naruto." She patted him on the shoulder. "Think of it this way. Don't you want to see what Sasuke looks like in a yukata?

He never attended Matsuri either."

"He is going to wear one?" Naruto's eyes grew wide. Indeed, if she put it that way..

"Of course he is going to wear one! He knows the tradition just as well as any other Konoha resident."

He snickered. Sasuke in a yukata! This could be good. At least he wasn't the only one feeling like an idiot at the dance.

Heh, he couldn't believe that Sasuke knew of it and still had agreed to come with him. Hehe, he was really acting out of his mind today.

"Alright Tsunade-sama, I trust you with this evening then." He folded the yukata up and put it under his arm. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to prepare for tonight."

"Nothing to prepare, just come." She frowned.

Naruto sweatdropped.

"Yeah.. well.."

"Go already. Don't worry. I'll see what I can do." She waved at him.

"Now, I have work to do. I will see you at nine at the center."

"Hai. See you then." He smiled at her and waved with his free hand.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now get out." She shoo'd him away.

Naruto avoided the main tracks outside and thus spared himself any confrontations from his friends before the Matsuri later that evening.

Jumping from roof to roof, he thought about the small dark bundle of clothing under his arm. Matsuri. Yukata. So traditional. The big revelation would come tonight. It was enough to make his heart race in his chest and send his thoughts sky-high on the adrenaline.

He knew the thoughts and fears very well by now, having raced through his mind so many times before. This time, he knew for sure that by the end of the day, all those thoughts would either be gone or confirmed.

Either way, they wouldn't haunt him the way they were now. That was a good thought to focus on, he thought, landing on the doorstep to Sasuke's house with a small tap. By the end of the day, everything would be over.

"Hey Sasuke, guess what I got?" He shouted all too happily through the door. He wasn't happy with the traditional dress at all, but he didn't want to appear so in front of someone who just might hate the whole event more than him.

In the distance, they softly heard the drums roll and the cries of children flowed their way on the evening breeze as they walked to the village center.

Naruto looked to the ground, noticing he and Sasuke were walking in the exact same rhythm. Left foot… right foot… left foot. The rhythm and the sounds growing louder as they came closer reflected the beating of his heart, racing from being nervous since morning.

Sasuke.

He had been walking through every room in his house that day, going through every closet and drawer trying to find his Yukata.

Naruto had expected him to freak out at the idea, his whole being as usual kicking against everything that wasn't his style. Instead, he had sighed and had spent the next three hours finding it, straightening the folds and even ironing it.

Now his shoulders were graced by the light black fabric, falling smoothly over his back and his legs. Unlike Naruto's yukata, his was a simple one, the hem only having a single pine tree and the sash only wearing the Uchiha family crest in adapted tones to match the yukata.

Naruto had been struggling to fold the piece of clothing right and had sneaked a peak into Sasuke's room as he dressed himself, memorizing the way to fold it. He had been awed by the light and subtle, almost ceremonial movements the dark man had made. He had watched the slow movement of him of tying the sash around his hips, whereas Naruto had tied it around his waist, to the flow of the fabric sliding over the ground slightly as he lifted it over his shoulders.

The evening light, the sounds of the crickets outside and the sound of sliding fabric against bare skin had made him blush, unable to tear his eyes away from the doll-like figure in the room. He had held his breath, not caring if he would choke that moment, desperate to preserve this view and burning it in his memory.

When the realization of that set in, he had slammed his back against the wall, his head confused and tried to get the vision out again, knowing it was in vain. Sasuke was like a katana still, graceful and beautiful with a tone of delicious ferocity. Cruel and cold, like he always was, but dressed like this, it was even more apparent. A deadly beauty and Naruto knew it all too well. He had shaken his head at that, refusing such thoughts about a fellow ninja, a former rival and recently his focal point for the past two weeks.

But standing there, he couldn't get it out of his head and as he sank to his feet, he knew deep down that it already was too late. Like the smell and color of blood was addicting, he felt himself slipping away at the thought of Sasuke being so nearby. The kiss, the talks they had and the way Sasuke had stared at him earlier in the day, they all lingered like the smell of a sea breeze late in the evening, pleasant and comforting.

He wanted to refuse it, needed to refuse it but couldn't. Ever since the day he had been at the hospital and had feared that Sasuke would hate him, he had seen the beauty in the person in that bed, silent and innocent for an instant. He had already felt back then that this person was sucking him in and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't resist it.

Maybe he wanted it that moment. Maybe he had wanted it all along even. Someone that could understand him, could stand by him and would accept him for who he was. And the only person who had ever done that, even though that didn't appear like that at first, and had done so now too, was Sasuke.

He lifted a hand to his cheek and rubbed it, trying to appear just nervous for the upcoming event, but he found his cheeks radiating with heat.

Everything.. his friends, and this boy walking next to him in silence, it all built up in his mind and he could do only one thing to relieve himself of it.

He smiled and looked up to the sky. In the dark velvet sky above him, a few stars shone brightly and as a small breeze billowed through his hair, bringing with it the smell of the man next to him, he couldn't believe that this moment was happening.

"Sasuke.." He whispered and stopped walking.

Sasuke stopped too and looked back at Naruto. Even though his face didn't show it, his mind smiled at the tall blonde standing there, his face to the sky with a blissful smile on him.

"Nanda..?" He softly said, sensing the moment shouldn't be broken.

"I forgot.. how pretty the stars can be sometimes."

Sasuke looked up as well, feeling the summer breeze stroking his hair.

Yes, the sky was indeed precious tonight, this way. The excitement coming from the village center filled the air and yet where they were it was pure and peaceful. He smiled too, knowing what Naruto meant. He hadn't looked up for real for years and this moment with Naruto beside him like this, was something he knew he should cherish, feeling how fast life could speed past them and how fragile some bonds were.

Naruto could leave any moment. As a ninja, he could die any moment.

They could be blinded or hurt so much that they would never walk this way again and they both understood the fleeting period of time at that moment.

"Yeah.. I never look at them these days." Sasuke answered in a sigh.

"You must think I am crazy.." Naruto said, looking back down again at the tall dark-haired person two feet away from him, still looking up.

Sasuke was a true classic refined beauty, shot through him as he studied the curves in his face. The refined nose, the high cheekbones and the hair as dark as the darkest night and the deep black eyes, focused on the tiny spots of light above him.

He reached out with his hand to touch the surreal person next to him but retracted his arm. What was he thinking...

"What?"

"Don't you think.. a moment like this is something to remember? I know

I sound sentimental but.. For all we know, this could all.."

"Be over tomorrow." Sasuke finished his sentence and turned his head to the side to look at the tall blonde.

Naruto smiled and looked down at his hand that he had wanted to slide through the black hair just now and grab Sasuke by the nape of his neck to touch the pale skin.

"Yeah, I think about it too." Sasuke sighed and adjusted his already perfectly fitting yukata. "With what we are, we never know what we can expect tomorrow. We can be dead, we can be injured or blind, or who knows.. we could be loved."

Naruto blushed and looked away from the regal figure now staring right into his eyes. He wished he didn't see the loneliness in them. He wished he could take it away.

But Sasuke never allowed anybody in his heart, let alone him..

"Yeah.. who knows.." He coughed. "Do you have somebody you.. want to love you?" He boldly asked. Just to see his reaction, just to know where Sasuke was now, and as he realized a second later, just to make sure.

Sasuke stared at him before blinking once at the personal question. He could dismiss and ignore the question and move on, but when he saw the needing look in Naruto's eyes, he felt he just had to answer the question, knowing that such a question would only fit in a moment like this, when they could lay their souls open and not be afraid of being ridiculed. He always knew when Naruto was serious about something and he could see that now too in the blue eyes that stared back into his.

"Yes.." He replied, followed by a little chuckle. Yes, he would want somebody to understand him and would love him for who he was.

"Yes?" Naruto's heart skipped a beat.

"Hn.." Okay.. precious moment was passing rapidly.

"Who?"

"Agh.." Sasuke groaned, feeling a blush spreading on his cheeks as he looked away. This was getting too personal.

Naruto chuckled, he knew he was getting too close for comfort for Sasuke, apparently having hit a sensitive spot.

"Don't worry, I won't ask any more."

"Good."

"Hm hm.."

They fell into an awkward silence.

"Um..." Naruto began.

"Hm?"

"Um.. won't you tell me?"

In the blink of an eye he had slapped a hand over his head and groaned in pain as one of the slippers Sasuke was wearing hit his head.

"Ite..."

"Hmf..." Sasuke snorted and picked up his slipper. "Lets go already."

"Yeah." Naruto rubbed the sore spot on his head and grinned. Sasuke could be so easy to read sometimes and he was glad he could break the silence. Tonight was going to be special; he knew it and felt it in every vein in his body.

It just had to.


	19. 18 Tornado

Okay now, I have to apologize and explain something again.

I must have said this to a thousand people over the past few weeks and I remembered that when I last mentioned it here, it was in the first few chapters. Thats a long time ago (does anyone still remember those chapters?)

I study game-design and they cleverly build it up to make it tougher as the year progresses. I have just finished project 3, making a fully animated 3D movie with 4 week experience in the to use program. Thats not much experience, so we have to learn everything as we go AND deliver a good quality movie in the end. We had to develop a solid concept, storyboard, moving storyboard, animatic (rough animated movie), research, a report every week, modelling and texturizing and finally animating, all over the course of 7 weeks. Thats not much. So you see, in the first 3 or 4 weeks of a project, I can spare the time to write, partially. I'm one of 4 artists in my class, and I get assigned to a team to do their artwork (storyboard and concepts) in the first weeks, and then function as a graphic leader for the team, responsible for the models, textures and overall outlook of the finished project.

We couldnt finish it in time. One of my teammembers mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer and died two weeks later. He was a key animator to us, and I had to learn everything myself. We are going to finish it in summer.

So please please forgive this very tired guy for not being able to post sooner. I was drained, tired, and unable to do anything creative for a few weeks. As my dear beta knows, I was grumpy, busy and sick most of the time, my body too drained to keep it in shape anymore. I'm very loyal, and give up everything for my study.

Now then! The presentation of that project was a month ago. Thats a long time ago you say? Very true. But..(there are always buts (no not butts unfortunately) in my life) We have been working since January. Without a break, we were tossed into the next project. Ego. I'm doing another 3D animated movie. But this time, oh precious hell, I do everything on my own. I have, at this moment, 5 weeks to go with a one week break inbetween (finally, which I shall use for attending the sole convention my country knows.)

So, to make this already way too long excuse short, I have two weeks left to write. (write it down people before I'm being shouted at for being slow in updating :P) After that, hell breaks lose as I try to finish it.

I dearly apogize for this long letter to you and my slow updating. I was quite touched that people liked my story so much that I got mails asking me desperately to update. I'm sorry I let you down, but forgive me, I couldnt prevent it.

In this chapter, I hope to make it up to you. :)

Please allow me the honour of your reviews as we are now officially, on yaoi territory. Like the sound of that? I knew you would. Just proving that the waiting paid off.

I'll be quiet now and I'll be looking forward to your opinions on the new, fresh, chapter 18.

Many thanks for your support, and thanks especially to my very patient Shinn (who is the lucky bastard to be my beta and read the chaps sometimes weeks before you read it, whilst putting up with a very annoying, not-native english speaking, guy)

Gabriel

Chapter 18: Tornado

"Look look.. There they are." Lee softly nudged Neji who was standing beside him, talking to various people and slowly sipping his Sake.

"Who are here?" He apologized to his companions and followed his boyfriend's eyes.

"You know… Sasuke and Ranaku." Lee had decided to hide the truth from Neji since Naruto had wanted to tell everyone himself. It was not yet up to him to tell Neji who Ranaku was. He took a small sip of his own drink, which was alcohol-free, and continued observing the delicate emotions on Neji's face.

"My my..." Neji sucked in hair and slowly breathed out again.

"What?" Lee frowned.

"I haven't seen Sasuke in a yukata for ages and it still steals my breath away." He slowly shook his head.

"Hey!"

"Jealous Lee?" He looked seductively to the side, chuckling inside at the small throbbing vein on Lee's forehead.

Lee blushed and put his arms behind his back, pouting.

"Yeah.. well.."

"Heh.." Neji gave a small kiss on his lover's cheek. "Don't worry. It just fits him. Good for you he doesn't wear a yukata all the time."

Lee smiled at the small display of affection.

"That was not quite the answer I hoped for."

"I know."

Lee chuckled and looked to Sasuke as well. The yukata did indeed look as if it fit him, making him almost regal and almost showing his roots in a well-respected family.

But what caught him even more was Naruto next to him. The young man almost looked clumsy and out of place in his elaborate blue yukata, the orange of the cranes' beaks shining in the light of the fires and lanterns as they approached.

He looked bright like a summer day, whereas Sasuke was more like a dusky chilly evening. They walked perfectly in sync, shoulders touching every once in a while as Naruto swayed on the slippers, not being used to them.

He had never seen Naruto in a yukata and where Sasuke looked perfectly in place in it, he was just adorable in his own Naruto-ish way, clumsy and not-caring. He probably had his mind on other things, Lee thought.

Still, he couldn't refuse the thought in his head that told him they reminded him of day and night, a perfect combination, enhancing eachother like black and white, and seeing the way they walked in silence, as if nothing had to be said at all.

Almost as if they were… too shy to show they were in love.

Lee grinned. He wondered if Neji could see it as well.

"Hey.." Neji softly said. "That Ranaku.. I thought his hair was brown and-"

Lee coughed loudly, interrupting him in mid-sentence.

"Sasuke! Ranaku! Over here!" Lee shouted as they came into hearing range.

"Ah.. Good evening Lee, Neji." Naruto gave a small bow in greeting when they had walked up to them.

Sasuke just grunted and looked around like a scared cat. He seriously needed to calm down, the people were already staring at them and the noise around them only added to his feeling of being trapped. He really didn't like crowds and most certainly not when electricity was in the air like tonight.

The people dancing further away to the monotone beat of the drums at the center stage, the hot heavy air when the wind went down, the smell emanating from the various food-carts, it all was an attack on his senses.

"Hey.."

"Hm?"

"You're zoning out. Everything alright?" Naruto asked him.

"Yeah.. Hey, where are Neji and Lee?" He looked around for the two young men, but the mass of brightly colored people chatting around him was enough to change his focus to the blonde next to him.

"Getting drinks I think. Neji is on to me." Naruto shrugged.

Sasuke chuckled and looked at him. It was good for Naruto that not too many old friends were around them, since his hair and trademark scars stood out so much that they would have noticed instantly, making Tsunade's planned announcement redundant.

"I would be surprised if he wasn't."

"Yeah.." Naruto ruffled his unruly bright hair. "I guess its pretty obvious by now."

"Yeah, I hope for your and my sake that Tsunade starts your introduction soon."

"For your sake?" Naruto frowned. "Why for your sake?"

"So I can get out of here, stupid."

"Huh?"

"I promised to guard you until you were done hiding and training. Well training is over and tonight your hiding will be over too."

Naruto moved his hands from side to side in a silent attempt to pull more out of Sasuke.

"So I can get the hell out of here." He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his discomfort showing in every fibre of his body.

Naruto sighed.

"So its that bad huh?"

"Yeah..."

"Don't even want to stay because it's going to be fun? All of us together?"

"No. 'All of us' is not fun."

"Oh come on..." Naruto whined.

"No."

"I'll be the one who they'll focus on.."

Sasuke shook his head and nudged to some staring people to illustrate his point.

"No you won't. I'll have to answer for my actions as well. If I knew it was you when you were training at my place, why I came along, why we arrived together, can you imagine the girls flocking around me?"

"Well... that's not that bad… right...?" Naruto whispered.

"Well it is!" Sasuke coughed. "I don't like crowds, or loud noises and especially explaining things to a bunch of girls I don't like anyway."

"You don't like Sakura and Ino and the other girls?"

Sasuke blushed lightly at the implied tone of romance involving one of the girls.

"Well.. one on one, I can handle. But a whole bunch of them… gods..! I hate that."

Naruto grinned at the suddenly embarrassed look on Sasuke's face.

"So you just don't like girls then?"

"Exactly!" He blushed even more as he realized what he just had said. "No! Wait, I mean.."

Naruto grinned and slowly walked towards Sasuke until he was chest to chest with him, Sasuke bumping his back against the wall of the house behind them. Naruto firmly placed his right hand on the wall and leaned in.

"So are you sure that you don't want to have fun just with me? Stay for me?" He whispered in Sasuke's ear, making the cornered young man's face heat up as if it was on fire. Naruto grinned, pleased with the reaction he had pulled out of the stern shinobi, feeling the heat of his skin radiate and the shivery breath roll over his skin.

He inhaled the scent of Sasuke's hair next to his face as deep as he could. He smelled clean, like a fresh river can smell on a cold day in winter and yet a dark warm tone was in it as well. Deep, dark, enticing and so addicting.

Naruto closed his eyes for a second to focus purely on the scent and the warmth coming from Sasuke's skin so close to his. In his mind he could recall the silky smoothness of it, flawless and pale, even though the man must have a lot of scars underneath his clothes, hidden far away and too proud to show someone had injured him. Not even hell knew how many scars the young man had on his soul..

He heard the slightly quickened breathing in his left ear, his breath rolling over the sensitive skin beneath his earlobe from time to time.

If he hadn't felt a large hand, fingers sprawled out to all side, he knew he would have kissed the soft skin, taking in as much of Sasuke as he could. This was getting bad, he realized a second later.

"Get away from me moron." Sasuke low voice growled, one of his strong hands pushing Naruto away on the most fragile part of his body, pressing against the most fragile part of him right underneath his chest.

Naruto sighed deeply and understood the message as he rolled away and leaned against the wall again.

"Pull a stunt like that again and you are dead." Sasuke growled in a low voice.

"Come on.. I just want to have fun."

"Then do that on your own. Don't go fondling me because you can't get a girl yet." Sasuke said dryly, adjusting his yukata.

"Now wait a minute!"

"I know I'm hot, but not if you were the last on earth." Sasuke added, flipping his hair back like a drama-queen. "Leave me out of it." He gave a deathglare to Naruto.

"...What? Okay okay, I'm sorry." He sighed. Bad move that was. He shook his head. He just wanted to have fun and relieve the stress he was having. And just like he used to do, he relieved himself of that stress by giving it to someone else in one form or another. And Sasuke had been the closest by. Besides, he had just said that he didn't like girls didn't he? And he was annoyed..

That was always the best time to get him fired up even more, Naruto thought with a smile. He was so easy to use for pranks.

Damn.. he had smelled nice.

"Lets just have fun okay?" Naruto mumbled.

"Hm."

"Jeez.. I can't stand you like this. Sourpuss." He groaned.

"Well that's the way I am. Live with it." Sasuke replied quickly.

"Heh, but I like you that way." Naruto grinned. Sasuke had indeed always been that way. He had hated it, but it was part of the person called Sasuke. And if he liked Sasuke for the person he was, then he would just have to accept that.

Liking Sasuke.

Naruto grinned. It still sounded so strange. But when he looked at the annoyed dark man next to him, miffing at every person that seemed to look at them, he was just glad he had a person to hold on to when things got heated like now, with these people that for all he knew, could bash his skull in or run him over with questions in a couple of minutes. It was as if he was about to be sucked into a tornado, knowing that he would be spun around untill he couldn't take it no longer.

But just like a tornado, the center of it is silent and calm, always.

He smiled and sighed as Sasuke was still unaware of his staring. Sasuke never changed. He had accepted Naruto for who he was. Still, he had treated him like the jerk he was, but at tough times Naruto could count on him. He had always been the quiet and calm centerpoint in the chaos, sometimes bringing even more death. He might have been a rotten asshole when he was younger, but maybe just that was the only thing he could grasp when the world around was too much. He had always been there, wether they liked it or not.

"Stop staring."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked, realizing he had indeed been staring his eyeballs out of their sockets.

"I'm not blind. Stop staring. I'm getting enough attention as it is. I don't need one more stare." He looked to the side, glaring at Naruto's surprised sapphire eyes. "Just don't." He whispered, the glare turning into a stare.

"Then stop staring yourself." Naruto replied, not breaking the contact either.

"I asked you first." Sasuke smirked.

"Hey! Guys.. what's with the atmosphere here?" Lee sighed loudly.

Sasuke and Naruto broke the contact and looked to fast for their own good to Lee and Neji, standing there with each two small cups in their hands. Lee held one up to Naruto's face.

"Drink, our treat." He smiled and held up his cup as Naruto took his own out of Lee's bandaged hand. Even while wearing his pine-colored yukata, the man still wore bandages to hide the scars.

Neji gave his second cup to Sasuke as well and held it up to Naruto's and Lee's.

Sasuke reluctantly gave in and held his cup high as well.

"Welcome home, Naruto." He winked and gulped his drink down.

"Yeah, welcome home." Neji smiled as well, gulping down his drink down as well.

"Thanks guys." Naruto set the cup to his lips and let the cold liquid flow down his throat as well. He coughed instantly as the burn of alcohol hit the back of his throat, making Sasuke grin in amusement before downing his drink as the last one.

"What the.." Naruto hissed, surprised at the alcohol. "Sake?"

"Well it -is- Matsuri and we thought you could use something to calm your nerves." Neji said, licking the rim of his cup for the last drop of the liquor.

Naruto's eyes shot immediately to Lee, afraid he might explode any second.

Neji chuckled as Lee held out his cup to Naruto to let him smell what the contents of his cup had been.

"Just water for me. But it looks the same."

"Oh thank god.." Naruto sighed in relief.

"Naruto.. honestly." Sasuke snorted.

"Lee on a rampage here wouldn't have been such a good idea now would it." Neji grinned, nudging Lee. "Once was enough for me."

Lee scratched the back of his head and grinned.

Naruto grinned as well and leaned back against the wall again, this time joined by Lee and Neji where the four fell silent for a few minutes, just watching the crowds walk by and observing the strange looks people were giving them.

Naruto felt the heat of the alcohol slowly spread through his body, calming him down a bit in a fuzzy warm blanket. Grateful that it helped, even though it was alcohol that he needed to calm down, he sighed and thought about the situation as it was now. Sasuke to his left, Lee to the right and Neji beside him, softly touching his shoulder. It was just like old times, when they hung around doing nothing but watching the village living.

From the outside, they seemed different, and Naruto wondered if their insides had changed that much at all. The way things were now, they all hadn't changed at all deep down. That thought relaxed him. Maybe nobody had really changed. Maybe his old friends were still the same and the village would still shun him. Maybe not, maybe they would, but all of a sudden, he couldn't care less. Maybe it was the alcohol that made him feel that way, but maybe it was the person next to him making him feel at ease already, accepted for who he was just like old times. If the people that mattered to him still accepted him, then what could he care if the village would still hate him?

He smiled.

Nothing would matter, as long as things remained the way they were now. In a friendship that didn't need words, not after two years of absence even, nothing could break it.

He glanced to his left and was relieved to see Sasuke's face more relaxed as well. The dark man also seemed to have calmed down by the drink. He studied the outline of the face beside him, the sharp curves of his nose and the strong line of his jaw. The flawless skin framed by the deepest black hair he could imagine.

He inhaled as quiet as he could, attempting to smell the wonderful scent that Sasuke had around him. As soon as the pure watery and deep smell hit his mind, he felt his heart quicken and he found it difficult not to let out a dreamy sigh.

Realization hit him softly, toned down by the haze the sake had caused, when he inhaled again. He was falling in love and it felt good. Every time he saw Sasuke's chest rise slowly as he breathed, he was reminded of how alive he was now and he locked up every second in his memory to never forget it.

Loving somebody could make a person feel so alive, he thought. It was intoxicating and heavy…

He never even noticed the drums on the background stopped beating and people gathered around the center stage a few yards away.

"People, may I have your attention please." A strong woman's voice echoed throughout the festival.

Sasuke slowly looked to his right, catching Naruto's eyes in an instant and shifting his body a little. He had noticed Naruto's held-in breathing and slow exhales, the sweet breath rolling over his exposed collarbone and cheek.

"I have an announcement to make." Naruto vaguely noticed Lee and Neji walk away to get closer to the stage along with everybody else. But Sasuke stayed.

He had wanted to say something about the staring again, but as soon as he saw the warm and dreamy look in Naruto's eyes, the bright blue stare replaced by a soft look, he couldn't say anything anymore and could only look back.

He wanted to lose himself in those eyes again, feeling the helplessness again, being at the mercy of someone else's soul gazing straight into his. To surrender to someone like Naruto who was so pure, to lose himself into the powerful soul of him, it felt like a drug. It made his breathing quicken and his heart beat faster, sending electricity through his veins and warming him from every side. After all the cold he had all his life, Naruto gave him so much warmth by just by looking into his eyes. Just that.

Drowning like that was the only thing he wanted to lose himself in right now. Losing himself into the only person that was able to hold onto at this moment and he wondered what Naruto was capable off if his looking caused this alone.

Behind them, they heard the blurry voice of Tsunade telling a story about a young boy leaving Konoha on a mission.

Naruto shifted his body so he was only leaning against the wall with his left shoulder, his head resting against the white plastered brick, unable to break the contact.

Sasuke's deep black eyes seemed to draw him in and he unconsciously sensed his body giving in, slowly leaning forward until he rested his head on Sasuke forehead. He was afraid to move any further, afraid to break the sensitive mood and the delicious feeling of falling down into Sasuke's soul.

His body twitched when he felt Sasuke's hand snake up his right arm, finally resting on his shoulder. He gasped slightly as he felt the heat radiating from the hand resting on the thin cloth of his yukata, the warmth radiating down on his skin.

Sasuke felt his body move on instinct, trying to look up and falling deeper into Naruto's eyes.

Naruto closed his eyes and leaned in only a little bit, stopping when he felt Sasuke's lips brush softly over his own. When he didn't move away, he slowly placed his lips over Sasuke's, his heart exploding in a rage of beats as he quickly pulled back, afraid of Sasuke's reaction.

But pulling back didn't work. Sasuke followed his movement and slid his left around Naruto's neck and burying his hand into the unruly blonde hair, pulling Naruto closer and deepening the kiss.

Naruto lifted his hand up as well and rest it at the nape of Sasuke's neck, his other arm wrapping itself around the slender body already pressed against his. He pulled him closer, feeling the heartbeat of the other man pulsing against his chest and he softly lapped at Sasuke's bottom lip.

Opening his mouth slightly, Sasuke slid out his tongue to touch Naruto's before delving deep inside his mouth, eager to taste Naruto more. He tasted sweet and it was working like a drug, hazing his mind and making his heart beat like crazy.

Naruto eagerly accepted the man's tongue in his mind and opened his mouth more to give more access and making the kiss as deep as he possibly could, fighting over dominance over the others mouth as their tongues slid together in a mind-blowing kiss.

All they were now was a bundle of coiling emotions, dancing around without a purpose but to feel and taste each other, melting together and losing themselves in a tornado of sensations sending them sky-high.

Someone moaned into the kiss. It could have been him, it could have been Sasuke Naruto noted, but it didn't matter. He wanted to taste him as much as he could, sucking him in as if his life depended on it, drugged by the hot velvet tongue sliding and twirling around his own. He fought back, feeling the warm smooth inside of his mouth and touching his teeth every now and then.

It didn't even occur to them that Tsunade was announcing him on stage, too lost in their heated kiss.

Sasuke finally broke the kiss after what seemed ages, letting his head rest against Naruto's forehead, both panting heavily as the tornado in their heads raged on.

"Naruto.. please come onto the stage." Tsunade said, making him look up quickly, Sasuke as well letting go of him.

Sasuke looked into the slightly panicked eyes of Naruto, unsure of what to say or do himself.

When Naruto finally let go of his arm walked off, having gripped him in instant panic, all he could do was smile with his whole being as he saw him walk up to the stage, lips bright red and fresh from their kiss, and started to talk.

Sasuke sank to the ground and leaned his head back to the wall, finding Naruto stare at him from the stage, his gaze fixed on his eyes and his probably red lips as well.

Sasuke let out a heavy sigh, his heart still pounding in his chest.

So this is what it felt like to drown…


	20. 19 Lose myself

Hello everyone,

Seeing how many message I received begging me to update more and faster, I'm very sorry. My schoolyear is ending and all I do is catching up. The later it gets, the heavier the projects got as well. My animation isnt finished yet, I got a few more weeks to work on it. Doesnt take away the fact that I kind of promised to update more, but I simply cant do it any faster then I'm doing right now. Please bear with me for a little longer bows his head deep in shame

Someone asked me if I was dutch and yes I am. I'm attending every convention we have here so look me up sometime :) (which is now Abunai, 9-11 September)

Someone asked me if I could update faster. I'm sorry.. I'm doing the best I can.

Someone asked me if I could speed it up. Its going to speed up now. This is partially the turn-around chapter. From here on, things will be weaving itself to its ending. Doesnt mean that its only 3 chapters away. Its more going to be like 14 chapters away, so dont worry. There is enough to read.

Thanks for reading and I'm looking forward to your opinions on it. Thanks to Shaun for being my beta again this time. grins That means that if there are mistakes or holes in this chapter, its partially my fault :P

See ya!

Gabriel/Anduir (the-guy-who-worries-too-much-about-the-format-being-right)

Chapter 19: Losing myself

Sasuke slowly watched the movement of Naruto's mouth, fascinated by the red lips, their color further enhanced by the bright lights of the stage. He felt his heart open up and bloom each time he thought about why they were like that, letting out a deep sigh each time it opened again, sending small but strong bursts of adrenaline through his veins.

He didn't hear what Naruto was saying, nor what Tsunade had said. He barely noticed the reaction people were giving at what the two were telling up on the stage. Deep inside he knew Tsunade had introduced him again in the village and his secret was all out in the open. The boys would soon flock around him with questions, the kids asking for exciting adventures and the old ninja's would come asking for his newly acquired skills and the girls would stalk him for the handsome guy he had become.

Sasuke sighed, the tight knot in his heart once more unraveling. He chuckled at himself. He chuckled at the strange warm feeling winding around his heart, his sudden fascination with Naruto's lips and the way he savored the lingering tingling sensation still on them. He touched them for and instant and licked his lower lip. He could still recognize the now faint sweet taste of Naruto on them.

His mind felt hazy and thick, like some sort of strange drug had hit him and had left a bigger punch than he imagined it would.

Did he kiss Naruto, or had Naruto kissed him? He couldn't remember and for that time, he hadn't cared even. And still, should he really care about it? The taste of the other man, his scent enveloping him, the hand weaving itself through his hair and pulling him closer. The soft tongue first slowly and then more fiercely fighting with his, the warmth of the other man's lips moving against his had set his blood on fire and had seared a permanent mark in his mind.

A very tiny part in his mind said that this was all wrong. That he wasn't supposed to feel like this with a man, his friend even. But that tiny part was swept away still each time he recalled the delicious kiss they had shared.

Slowly, the alcohol had started to make way for another kind of mellow haze and he welcomed it. And for that moment, he decided, he didn't care about anything. He wanted to savor the memory and then add some more memories to it. Tomorrow would be another day and this was now. And tonight, Naruto was his; he thought with a devious smirk as he let his head drop back against the white wall, trying to pay attention to what was happening that moment.

"Please treat him well." Tsunade ended her speech and bowed.

Naruto gave a small nod as well, blushing to the roots of his hair for various reasons, ranging from pure fear of being in the center of attention to the memory of the hot kiss he had just gotten.

The crowd erupted in a rage of questions and shouts. They all wanted to ask questions, all wanted to talk to him personally and Naruto heaved a sigh of relief that he hadn't gotten a rotten tomato or something thrown at him yet. At that moment it felt as if the whole village opened up and welcomed him and it made him smile. Everything was going just perfect.

He glanced to the other side of the square, finding Sasuke leaning against a wall with a very devious smirk plastered on his face. Naruto grinned, this guy was up to no good, but seeing as he hadn't run away or showed any sign of anger, he trusted that it would be interesting to see what he had on his mind.

He didn't care what Sasuke would think of it, well actually he did but he couldn't expect anything from the unpredictable man, he decided that he was going to tell how he felt at that moment and how he had been feeling for the past few days being near him. He wanted to tell him that he wanted more of Sasuke. He had gotten a taste of him, just a tiny bit, and he wanted more. For a while he had been content watching him from afar, but when realization of his feelings had set in, hit him hard and then were finally answered, he had had a craving for more of the other man. Even if it was only in the heat of the moment. For all he knew, it could be over any time, seeing the dangerous lives both were leading now.

Sasuke had made him feel so alive at that moment, that he wanted more of that as if the other shinobi had been a drug sending his mind to the sky and back.

Naruto smiled. Sasuke was still there.

He took a small step to get off the stage and to his friend when he was held back by several hands and voices, some looked familiar and others were completely different.

"Uh.. can I.. I'll tell it.. yeah.. okay" He couldn't finish one sentence in answering a question before the next one was asked.

"People, give him some rest. Ask him your questions over time, I'm sure he'll be in Konoha for a quite a while."

"But Godaime-sama.." Several people protested in vain.

"Let us reunite him with his friends first." She ordered with a smile. "As far as we can find them.." She softly grumbled afterwards.

"Thank you, Tsunade-baba." Naruto thanked her with a genuine smile. Finally he could completely shed his cover.

"Naruto?" A soft female voice asked between all the commotion around him.

When he looked back to see whose voice it was, he saw Sakura dressed in a graceful mint yukata and a cherry-colored fan. Her green eyes were wide in disbelief when she touched his cheek to see if he was real.

"Sakura.." He whispered.

She smiled and he noticed Ino, Shikamaru and Shino sneaking up behind her.

"I'm sorry.." He softly said, barely loud enough to get his voice over the chaos around him.

She softly took his hand and pulled him down in a hug. He slid his arms around her to return the hug, hearing in her deep breathing in his ear how relieved she was that he was there, alive and seemingly well.

Sasuke sighed, seeing the scene from afar. Sakura let go of him and pulled him with her, Shino, Shikamaru and Ino in their wake and soon followed by Hinata, Lee and Neji as they the grouped up in the crowd. Sasuke watched as they sat themselves down at a nearby terrace where drinks were poured for all of them instantly. All of them were smiling brightly and waving their arms and hands about as a visual support for their tales and questions. Naruto seemed to be answering them as good as he could, often interrupted by someone asking another question.

Sasuke looked to the steadily growing group forming around the blonde. Many didn't care what Tsunade had asked them to do and wanted to ask Naruto questions anyway.

He sighed at the hypocrites they were. They had shunned Naruto and treated him like dirt, or even worse, when he was still in Konoha. They hadn't turned their heads when he had gone missing; they hadn't cared more than being relieved of the natural disaster called Naruto being gone from their lives. People had been laughing and joking, going on with their daily empty lives, happy that one of their nightmares was gone. Now that Naruto was gone, their missions would go fluently, money would be earned instead of being used to pay for Naruto's damages and there was one less threat to count on now that the most powerful and uncontrollable ninja was gone. Ninja... Most of them laughed it off. Naruto had been a monster and they couldn't care less if he was dead or dying in a gutter somewhere.

Sasuke clenched his hand into a fist. He had noticed the blonde's disappearance roughly a week after he had left. He had missed the energetic yet annoying presence of the kid, always following him around and challenging. Somehow, he felt as if he was missing some vital part around him, someone to become pissed at and use that anger in battle or during his tests. He had insisted on joining Kakashi on missions to find Naruto. But it didn't matter whatever reason he brought up to be able to join the Anbu, he never was allowed to come along. If he went to search on his own in the dead of night, he soon found that he was followed as well and he was brought back to Konoha several times before he focused on his exams, living in an open prison.

Kakashi had come to talk. He had left again, his questions unanswered as he left the Uchiha residence.

When winter had set in, the people had noticed Naruto's disappearance fully. The village had grown quiet, the friends Naruto had, had become sullen and down. Parents found their children asking where the ninja was that made the village alive, and mothers felt a parental worry well up inside them wondering if the boy was alright out there in the cold.

Still, Tsunade had kept everything a secret and the villagers had accepted the made-up fact that Naruto had left to use his energy somewhere else, destroying places they never heard of. Anywhere but here, they had thought and believed. Though deep in their hearts, they thought differently.

Sasuke felt his face turn into a scowl. Look at them, he thought, Huddling around him as if he was a lost prince. Asking him questions as if they had found a lost son, eager to finally know what had truly happened. He didn't know that after all that time, they truly had missed him. But as with many things, they only knew what they missed after it was gone.

Wasn't he the same? He wondered if he was being hypocritical himself. He too had after all been relieved when the loudmouth was finally gone, only to realize what he was missing after a few days and understanding that after a month.

He had acknowledged himself that he had missed him; he had admitted it to himself, bruising his pride with the truth. But as with many things, he never showed it.

Everyone must think the same of me as I think of them when they see me being friendly around him.. he thought, taking a small step into his direction before coming to a halt just as soon.

It wasn't right. -This- wasn't right…

He took a last look at the happy face Naruto was making, obviously relieved and delighted by the positive attention he was getting from his old friends and the villagers. He must've thought they had hated him, and in a way they had done that, but that had changed now. They had changed.

Everyone had changed. Everyone but him… Right?

Sasuke sighed. It was pointless being selfish and he admitted to himself that he was jealous. Deep down he had wished the village would spite Naruto again, so he would once again become the only one close to Naruto.

Sasuke chuckled. He was being selfish indeed, wanting to keep Naruto all to himself in a time that Naruto needed the people around him. The Kyuubi wasn't defeated completely yet… He knew that, but Naruto didn't and he hadn't wanted to tell it to him. The tiny spark of his own power had been enough to keep him to his feet.

He needed his friends around him now to make him more confident before Sasuke pushed him to another level with the Kyuubi. He didn't have to know about that, not yet.

Sasuke turned around and started to walk home. Everything was not yet. Naruto wasnt his yet. Naruto hadn't defeated the Kyuubi just yet. And he himself hadn't changed into what he wanted yet. Not yet.

Not yet…

As he walked down the path to his house, hearing the once again started music fade away in the distance, he couldn't stop thinking when the right time would come for everything to end. To him, this was just the beginning and there were infinite ways to how their tale would end, but he didn't even know how they were going to make it to that end and he feared, remembering the happy face of Naruto and his friends, that he wouldnt be included in it again…

He feared that once again, he would be watching from the sidelines as Naruto went through the biggest change in his life, moving on, whereas he would be standing still. Again.

"Hn..." Sasuke groaned as he turned around on his futon, throwing off the light blanket in the heat of the summer night.

He slowly sat up straight, reaching for the small bottle of water standing nearby.

He sighed deeply and looked beside him to the empty futon in the corner. The small red lights on the alarm clock read just over 3 in the morning.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes and got up, walking towards his balcony and letting the soft evening breeze wash over his naked skin. He closed his eyes and focused on the sounds of the night, a little cricket chirping in the grass below him, the rustling of the trees in front of his house, the wood groaning under his feet as he shifted his weight. The sound from people laughing in the distance…

He opened his eyes again and turned his head to the spot where the laughing came from. He could just barely see the glow of the fires at the horizon as the noise began to swell and the laughing multiplied, accompanied by the loud giggling of various girls.

Festival must be over, his mind noted. Naruto must have snagged a girl somewhere, another part of his mind told him, a loud low voice giggling reminding him of Naruto's voice.

Maybe Sakura had finally noticed him. It would have been hard not to notice him, Sasuke thought with a low snarl. No girl could have missed his shiny blonde hair, spiking everywhere and blue.. such.. blue eyes.

What was he thinking?

Sasuke shut his eyes tightly. He hoped that behind his eyelids everything would be dark, but he knew deep down that it was in vain. As soon as he shut them, everything Naruto rushed back, his mind finally able to focus on the impressive memory instead of the people walking nearby. Naruto's scent, his taste, the feeling of his fingers sliding of his skin and the hazy blue eyes that seemed to pour into his soul after the kiss.

Sasuke groaned. The same memory that had haunted him all night long. Still addicting and sending adrenaline through his body, concentrating in a tight knot in his stomach. The liquid heat of it still lingered in his veins and his body still reacted to it. Just reacting to the memory, and it wanted more.

He slammed a fist on the railing of the balcony, how could he have been so stupid to think that Naruto would be all his that night. How could he let himself be drugged by that sweet taste of that fiery kiss…

"Jeez.. Keep it down will you? I was almost asleep." A low voice from underneath his balcony shouted at him.

Sasuke held his breath and slowly bent over to see who it was, hand instinctively reaching for a heavy object to throw down if the man had any strange intentions.

"Bloody hell.. You never do anything just normally do you Sasuke.. Always showing off." The man muttered and grumbled.

"Naruto.." Sasuke softly said, frowning at the messy yukata-clad person standing on his doorstep.

"Keep you voice down.. You'll wake me up."

"You're not even inside yet stupid."

"Details, details.." Naruto groaned, wobbling towards the door.

"Idiot.." Sasuke mumbled, hurrying down to open the door for the blonde.

Once he opened the door, Naruto tumbled inside, making Sasuke fall to the ground as he tried to catch the heavy blonde man.

Naruto giggled and tried to push himself up, only to sink through his arms again and landing roughly on Sasuke's chest and slamming his head against Sasuke's chin.

"Ow! Asshole!" Sasuke exclaimed, quickly turning his head away from the dangerous blonde and hissing at the sharp pain stinging his lower lip. Slowly, the familiar taste of blood filled his mouth and he licked his lips as he felt a small trail of warm liquid flow down his throat.

"Oy.. You okay? You got blood uh.. flowing down." Naruto lazily raised his head and swiped a finger through the red liquid, examining it for a second before wiping it off on Sasuke's black shirt.

"Fuck.." Sasuke hissed and turned to face Naruto. "Well no shit Sherlock!" He licked his lower lip and raised a hand to rub his chin. He pulled his hand up to his face and looked at the dark sticky blood on his fingers.

He groaned and felt the inside of his mouth, finding a small cut on the inside of his lower lip with his tongue. Rubbing his fingers together and wiping the rest of his blood off his chin and neck, he then grabbed a piece of Naruto's yukata, cleaning his bloody fingers off on the dark cloth.

"Wait, you missed a spot." Naruto smirked and dipped down, licking the small new trail of fresh blood that had started to flow down his chin again.

Sasuke shivered at the warm tongue sliding over his sensitive skin. Naruto's hair softly touched his face and his smell filled his nose and mind again. He felt tempted to yank the boy by his hair and ravish the lips now red of his blood when a distinct smell hit him.

He still yanked the boy up by his hair.

"Ow! Hey!" Naruto yelled out, wincing at the sting of pain as Sasuke had only gripped a tiny lock of his hair.

Sasuke sniffed the air around him, quirking an eyebrow up as he caught Naruto look down on him and licking a speck of blood from his lips with a feral grin.

"Naruto, you have been drinking." He came to a simple conclusion

"No." The blonde said softly, hissing as Sasuke gave an extra tug on his hair. "Well… not much anyway."

"You stink." He pulled the blondes head up higher and crawled from underneath the tall heavy body, not letting go of the hair. When he finally had his left leg released he let go of the blonde, who slumped back to the ground before scrambling to his feet.

"Ow.." Naruto rubbed his head where Sasuke had pulled his hair. "You jerk."

Sasuke swallowed heavily, the thick taste of blood still in his mouth before glaring at Naruto and turning around, walking up the stairs to his bedroom again.

"Hey.. Hey! Where are you going?"

"What does it look like moron? I'm going to bed."

"To bed? Whuh.. why?" Naruto stumbled after him to the stairs.

"Because I'm tired and I've had enough. You smell like you had fun out there, why don't you go back and have some more fun?"

"Aw.. Don't be a dick." Naruto took a few steps up the stairs before slumping against the wall.

"Shut up."

"Alright, alright! Sourpuss..." Naruto groaned and took a few more steps.

"I don't know why I even let you in.." Sasuke groaned out loud, waiting for Naruto to come up to his level, hands signaling between hiccups that he wanted to say something. "What? Just say it already!"

"Well.. Uh.." Naruto giggled, sinking to the ground and earning him a tight grip around his collar by a furious Sasuke.

"Listen asshole, I'm tired, I'm pissed off and if you don't say what you want to say soon then I'll make sure I'll stuff a kunai in a place where the sun don't shine, got that?"

Naruto giggled more and nodded his head, having only heard half of the threat.

"Maybe.." He gave a trademark mischievous grin. "Maybe you let me in because you loooooove me." He licked his lips with a light purr.

Sasuke let go of the collar roughly, making Naruto's head bang against the wooden railing of the stairs and getting up to his feet himself.

"Love you. Like hell I do!"

"Sasuke is sooo kind to the ones he loves, he never lets anybody in his house and here I aaaaaam." Naruto drawled on, emphasizing the last word in a lazy manner.

"Shut up. Shut up shut up!" Sasuke yelled at him, not knowing how to deal with a drunken Naruto, who was had gotten to his feet and was slowly swaying towards him, pushing him in a corner.

"Oh really.." Naruto purred, chuckling at Sasuke's furious face as the shinobi hit the wall behind them, cornered like a cat.

"Don't tell me you hated it Sasuke.." He said his name in a whisper, putting his hands on either side of Sasuke's head and slowly leaned forward.

"I think I'm pretty right.." A smirk appeared on his face as they almost touched foreheads.

"What makes you think that asshole.." Sasuke whispered, confused why his body didn't scream to sucker punch Naruto in front of him and kick him out of the house.

"Easy.." Naruto whispered, burying his nose in Sasuke's hair and suckling softly on his earlobe.

Sasuke sucked in air and shivered at the sensual tongue playing with his ear and his breath heating up his hair.

"Think about it.." Naruto softly said. "Why don't you fight back? Why did you let me in when I'm like this. Why do you sound like wife.. jealous and mad that her husband came back late. And most of all.." He pulled back and aligned his face with the man in front of him. "Why did you kiss me.." He softly pressed his lips on Sasuke's.

Sasuke instinctively opened his mouth slightly, his being wanting to taste the other boy again like before. Naruto took advantage of the invitation and slowly slid his tongue inside and pressing his body against the tall man. Their tongues clashed and fought more fiercely over dominance over the other mouth. Naruto's sweet taste, tinged with a bit of alcohol, hazed Sasuke's mind as he gave in to the kiss and sliding his arms around the blonde's waist and shoulders, pulling him closer.

Naruto gave a small chuckle, enjoying the soft warm tongue of his former rival sliding over his teeth and lips before he dipped his own back into Sasuke's mouth, tasting the pure taste that was Sasuke. His mind, already drugged and hazed by the alcohol, flamed up again, waking him up and he felt the knot deep in his stomach tighten with each battle over dominance over each other. Fingers buried deep in his hair, firm muscles pressed up against his chest and a hot tongue invading his mouth much like he was doing to the other man. Naruto moaned deeply and pressed up harder against Sasuke, his groin heating up in the sensual kiss, making his mind believe it made his blood boil.

Naruto broke the kiss, finding Sasuke with his eyes closed and panting lightly.

"See.." Naruto whispered, noticing the heavy red blush on Sasuke's face and the kiss swollen lips.

"Shut up." Sasuke panted, opening his eyes and glaring at Naruto. "Just.. shut up."

Naruto didn't have the time to frown at that remark before a strong hand weaved its way through his hair and pulled him close again, lips clashing in another deep kiss.

Sasuke pulled him closer, a spot far away in his mind noticing the hardness pressing against his groin, causing a delicious friction through their clothes. Naruto felt a tug on his yukata and let the cloth slide down his arm, before freeing his hand from it and sliding a naked arm underneath Sasuke's shirt.

Sasuke broke the kiss for a second to allow Naruto to pull his shirt over his head and throwing it to the side before losing themselves in another soul-searing kiss. On touch, Sasuke found the doorknob to his bedroom and opened the door, dragging Naruto with him without breaking the precious kiss, making every part of their bodies heated up and filled with need for each other.

Neither man did care for what was happening, lost in the moment and each other as they fell back on the bed.


	21. 20 Liquid White

Hi, Gabriel here.

It's been a long long time since I updated and I actually have a valid reason for it. Again.

Everybody knew chapter 20 was going to be a lemon. But lemons cant be posted here. So I turned to y-hosting gallery to start posting the story over there. It was well received there and I have a nice steady flow of stalkers there now :3

But as someone noted, wouldn't it be nice if the folks at would get to read it too? So, here I am again, updating.

None of these new ones, except chapter 21, were beta-ed. I'm quite sorry, dear Shinn, for this. I've been too busy and too impatient. So if there are mistakes, I'm sorry, my fault.

Either way, lets see how many I can upload today. And to see how long this chapter will last XD. I might be banned from any minute now 3

(oh, btw, the one who reviewed that Kakashi was an absolute and terrible asshole in my fic: you totally missed the point of the whole story sweety. It's not about Kakashi at all. Not about Kakashi and Naruto. Just about Naruto and Sasuke. So would you please refrain from sending me reviews like that again? They didn't quite make sense. And of course, as always the following applies: Don't like the story? Then don't read it. I cant believe you hated it that much and still read up to.. what, chapter 14? Geez..)

Sorry folks!

Enjoy!

Chapter 20. Liquid white

What the.. What's happening? What am I doing here? What's going on?

Sasuke's mind went in overdrive the second he landed on his bed, his familiar dark scent comforting him, signaling he was in a safe place. A very safe place. In fact, his bedroom or just his bed was the only consistent thing in his life. It was always there, it would always be his place to rest in and get rid of the awful visions and nightmares he had gathered on his missions.

But this time the familiar scent wasn't alone, and it was both comforing and confusing him in a way he didnt expect. A bright smell, a heavy smell, the sweet smell of alcohol and the light smell of a summer breeze.

"Sasuke.." A low and husky voice breathed into his ear, accompanied by a soft lick on his earlobe.

Dazed, he felt his own mouth open and he was amazed at the sound of his own voice, throaty, deep and fascinating, its sound pure and velvet in his silent room making it even stand out more.

"Naruto.."

The thought of what exactly was going on was tugging him far away in his mind. It flashed by too fast for him to fully realise what was happening. It was most certainly bugging him, this thought that it all was wrong. That it all shouldnt happen. That Naruto was drunk and that he was lonely and hurt. That they were both guys and that in true fact, they hadnt even met eachother that long ago.

As Naruto moved his kisses back up to his open mouth again, dipping his soft and warm tongue slowly in, sighing as adrenaline rushed up and down his body with his heartbeat, Sasuke once again felt all his reason melt away and decided to discard any thoughts that was wrong away. How could something that felt this good, that tasted this good, be so wrong?

His whole body responded without a second thought, his whole mind screamed for more of the blonde man pressing down on him, so why would he care for that tiniest of thoughts of reason? He wouldn't, not now.

The strange sensation of falling, of drowning into this other person slowly gave way and was replaced by something even stronger. He knew what it was to lose himself in the other voice, the scent and the beautiful pure blue eyes, but at this moment it wasnt enough, he wanted more, so much more. He knew it was selfish, but something inside of him said Naruto was feeling the exact same thing and Sasuke grinned as he thought he felt Naruto's heartbeat against his skin. 

Sasuke felt strong arms wrap around him, rough gentle hands slide down his side and his back, pressing him tighltly against the blonde's chest. Naruto's mind seemed to scream out a silent message and the body just followed his orders. It was as if he wanted to take all of Sasuke in, as if their skin coulnt be any closer, as if their touches couldnt be faster and hotter, as if they wanted to melt in eachother and Sasuke gasped slightly at the overwhelming feeling of this, their craving was almost too much to handle for the pale shinobi.

Naruto must've realised this a while ago already, he realised, chuckling that he was so slow in matters like these. Naruto still acted so much more on instinct and mood and less on reason, like he himself always did. He grinned, leaning his head back and eyes wide open as each sensation flowed through him, taking away all his sense of reason slowly and he gasped, welcoming it as much as he did Naruto's soft passionate kisses on his throat and collarbone.

He felt the other man move up, apparently wondering why he was grinning and sighing like a fool in love, and he lifted up his head to look at the tanned face, a sweet gentle smile spread across it and the blue eyes shone full with affection through the half-lidded eyes.

"Naruto.." He whispered, wiping a small bit of hair out of the blonde's face, earning him a warm cheek as Naruto followed the movement of the hand and leaned against it, closing the blue eyes for a second before moving up again, taking Sasuke's lips in a slow kiss once more.

Sasuke accepted the kiss with a rare smile spread on his lips, feeling as if he was dreaming and sighed deeply as his tongue played with the eager invading other tongue in his mouth, swirling and tasting just as he was doing to the other.

Sasuke slid both of his arms up, one hand burying itself in the blonde frizzled locks and pulling him close so he wouldn't miss a second of the delicious taste of the other man and the other snaking around his lower back to press him closer.

Naruto instantly picked this up and held Sasuke's head in one place with both his hands, as if he was holding something so precious that he would never let go anymore, mind going mad over the possesive manner with which Sasuke pulled him closer into the kiss, fingers playing with the strands of hair on the back of his head. He just wanted to feel everything of Sasuke, and he moved to align his hips with his, legs covering the slender pale legs of his former rival and covering him like a human blanket, keeping absolutely still not to fall off the other man nor to cause him to squirm and toss him off.

But only seconds later, as the heat of Sasuke's bare skin started to seep through the remainder of his yukata, he couldnt contain himself any longer. He wanted more of the dark-haired young man, tasting so deliciously and the heavy masculine scent flooding his senses, only made him crave more of him. He wanted to bury himself completely into this other person, this wonderful being underneath him, holding his head there so he couldnt escape the deep kisses he was given, as if the other man was like a black panther, famished and starving for a love he had missed all his life.

Little did he know that Sasuke felt exactly that way.

To Sasuke, it was almost as if a primal instinct had taken over him, clinging onto this person as if the world was to be destroyed any moment and at the same time as if the world, time, didnt even exist. Naruto was right here, his warmth was spreading through his body and his scent drugged his mind and his tongue, that magical sensation and taste, was fighting alongside his over dominance.

What the hell. So what if Naruto could very well leave any minute? So what if he was drunk? So what if he might be dead next time he saw him? And so fucking what everything.. He was there now, in his arms, tongue inside his mouth, hands now sliding up and down his chest. So what if he ever thought he was dead, gone and buried or rotting in some sort of gutter, he was alive and Sasuke could feel his heartbeat speed up as he started to grind his hips against Naruto. Anything, anything at all, to make the blonde become closer to him. Anything to make this body drown in him, anything to melt together..

Naruto automatically started to grind his hips back into Sasuke, slowly at first, more heavy and possesive later on as he discovered what outcome his actions had on the dark shinobi, whose breath had become heavy and slightly ragged, the delicious friction of their erections against eachother through the cloth heated them up.

Naruto left Sasuke's mouth and slid his lips down the well-defined cheek to the elegant pale neck, planting light kisses here and there, and when the friction became too good for his senses, he softly bit the sensitive skin near his collarbone, causing a loud moan from Sasuke, sounding more like a heavy sigh mixed with pleasure.

Moving down he slid his right hand underneath the blue shirt again and pulled it over Sasuke's head, finally resting his whole torso on the other man, soft tanned skin against pale hot skin. He felt Sasuke's hands slide down his back as well, pushing as much of the remaining yukata back as possible.

"Just lift.. yeah.. your hips.." Sasuke directed him so he could get the nasty cloth out of their way, tugging on the small obi and finally throwing the whole blue ball of cloth away in the corner. As he pushed himself up a bit to see where he had thrown the yukata (not in a place where it could be damaged, like his pile of kunai or shuriken, after all.. it would be nice to see Naruto dressed in it someday again) he was treated on a sight that nearly took his breath away.

Through the blonde locks of the man now caressing and kissing his chest, he could take a perfect look at the curve of the musculair back and partially smooth skin, following a perfect line right down the well-formed ass and strong legs winding themselves around his. Sasuke smiled and fell back, burying his face in the golden hair and strong shoulders. He hadnt even noticed the hundreds of small to big scars that littered his back, but he had seen ist pure raw beauty, the beauty of a ninja who had fought for a long time and had yet kept his natural beauty.

Naruto looked up, having felt the change in pace of his breathing.

"Hn.. what is it.." He whispered, eyes gazing into Sasuke's while he went back to his business, lapping and softly biting one of the nipples within his reach.

"Ahn.. Nn... Naruto.." Sasuke moaned as the said nipple was teased, followed by Naruto's low grumbling chuckle in amusement. He seriously loved having such an impact on the otherwise so cold and stoic young man.

"I take it you like that.." Naruto growled, tongue swirling around the hardened knob.

"Don't ask... hn.. stupid questions.. Moron.." Sasuke smirked and sat up straight, considering it his turn now to see what reactions he could unlock from Naruto.

He placed a pale hand on the tanned chest, fingers sprawled to all sides and pushed him back, before he crawled over the strong body, halting as his eyes had gotten used to the faint moonlight pouring in though the windows.

Sasuke looked down to Naruto's stomach and back up to his face, seeing Naruto was biting his lip in anticipation, eyes closed and fully surrendering himself to Sasuke. Sasuke however saw something that knocked him off his feet for an instant, but then quickly dismissed it and considered it a matter for another day, as he rubbed the smooth skin on his belly with his open hands, saving the memory of bare hot skin against his palms in his head. All that mattered was here and now, with this human and his addictive touch.

He bent down and kissed the small scar running over a few muscles on his abdomen, following its trail down, ending at the rim of his boxers. Sasuke glanced at Naruto who was arching back at the mere touch of Sasuke's hands and face so agonisingly close to his straining erection in his boxershorts. Slowly Sasuke pulled them down and a mix of surprise and excitement took over him. He knew Naruto was probably well endowned when it came to size, but to see his cock erect and standing up proudly, slowly moving as blood was pumped through it, begging for attention, was a whole new thing.

He had never had the taste of another man, he simply had never met anyone who could meet up to his expectations or his requirements, let alone a man like Naruto. And yet here he was, right before him, and Sasuke licked his lips, wondering what he would taste like, what it would taste like to taste another man on his lips, other than the other tongue ravishing his mouth.

Without a second thought he dipped down and gave a small lap on the hardened length, surprised at the silky smoothness of the skin.

"Aaaah... oh man.." Naruto moaned out in pleasure at the touch. Sasuke felt a ball roll itself into a knot deep in his stomach at the mere sound of it, arousing him even more than he already was. He needed to have all of him, right here and right now, before he lost his chance.

Naruto practically screamed his lungs out for a second as he felt the warm wet mouth and tongue swallow him whole. Sasuke's hot mouth started sucking, his tongue swirling over the sensitive top and sliding over the small slit made him go wild. He never expected Sasuke to be so good, so natural in what he was doing and he enjoyed every single second of it as small bursts of energy made their way through his veins to his head. With each lap and each suck, the ball low in his abdomen became tighter and his hips automatically thrust up to get more of this wonderful sensation as he buried his hands deep in the raven hair of the other man, his head bobbing up and down as he did to Naruto what he thought would pleasure him the most.

Without stopping Sasuke moved one of his hands down his own back to take off his boxers as well, not being able to stand his throbbing erection trapped in the now very tight cloth. As soon as he had gotten them off, he tossed the to the pile of discarded clothes nearby and laid himself down, letting Naruto wrap his long legs around his waist, trapping his whole body in one big embrace while he licked and played the hard dick with his tongue and mouth.

Naruto tasted just as sweet there as his mouth had tasted. Watery and sweet like vanilla, but a whole diffirent kind of taste his mouth had been. But still, it tasted as if he was sucking the whole essence out of Naruto and worked like a drug, only enhanced by Naruto's now ragged and harsh panting and moaning.

"Sasuke.. stop.." He moaned desperately, but Sasuke paid no heed to the call for mercy, enjoying his little play way too much to stop now. He loved the sense of power he had over the blonde man, knowing he was completely vulnerable to his touch and was at his mercy. The sheer thought that he was the one causing the precious and delightful moans from the handsome blonde was almost enough to make him come without ever being touched.

"Stop.. I'm going.. I'm.." Naruto panted, unable to voice the words he wanted to say, taken away by the awesome pleasure Sasuke was giving him.

Sasuke himself could hardly take it anymore. He still wanted all of Naruto, wanted to be bury himself in him and melt away with him untill they were just a single entity of pleasure.

"Naruto.. can I.." He began, having pulled away for a few seconds, a strange blush spreading across his cheeks.

Naruto looked up, seeing his partners eyes hazed with pure lust and realising the throbbing hardness pressing against his inner thigh. It was too hot to even see and he averted his eyes, focusing now purely on touch and sensation. If he were to open his eyes again, seeing Sasuke's slender but muscular form buried between his legs and the hard dick rubbing against his skin, combined with his automatic hipthrusting was too much for his mind to comprehend. If he were to see all that, he would come at that very moment.

He slowly nodded and shifted his hips a bit more to grant Sasuke access.

"Are you.. sure?" Sasuke panted, eyes half-lidded as he watched Naruto writhe beneath him.

"Yeah.."

Sasuke gave a small nod and sucked on one of his fingers and slid it down, teasing Naruto's hot entrance and dipping a bit in, finding Naruto was pure heat all compressed into one delicious body.

"This.." He panted. "Isn't your first time.. is it.." He slid the finger a bit deeper in, his other hand teasing the base of his cock.

"No.." Naruto moaned loudly. "But I'm your first.. man.. right?" He could barely get the words across his lips as Sasuke fully slid his finger in and added an other whilst pumping his hardened member up and down to ease the pain he had expected, but was there.

"Yeah.." Sasuke panted. Naruto was beautiful beyong belief, the way he was wriggling below him, surrendered to his touch, the toned skin glistening with sweat and the strong chest heaving up and down with each ragged breath he sucked in.

"Sasuke.. please.." Naruto pushed himself up a bit, sliding an arm behind Sasuke head and pulling him close, thrusting his tongue in the already open panting mouth of Sasuke. "I'm going to come by your sight alone.. Don't do that to me.. please.." He panted into the kiss.

Sasuke smirked and retracted his fingers, positioning himself so that his erection was right against Naruto's entrance, losing his mind half already in the heated kiss Naruto was giving him.

"I want you.. I've always wanted you.." Naruto sighed into the kiss, resting his forehead against the ravenhaired ninja. "I want every bit of you, every tiny thing of you I can get my hands on. I want to melt and.."

"Melt away together untill we are nothing.." Sasuke finished the sentence and slowly pushed his cock into Naruto. 

Naruto instantly hissed and arched back, giving Sasuke the opportunity to suck on his collarbone and neck as he slowly pushed on, burying himself in the searing heat of Naruto. Sasuke grabbed him by the waist and pulled him closer, holding on for dear life almost, never wanting to let go again.

"Oh my.. god.. Naruto.." he panted as he finally pushed himself all the way in, the heat and tightness overloading his brain. "You okay?" He whispered in Naruto's ear, worried that he had hurt him somewhere since he hadnt moved for a few seconds.

"Yeah.." Naruto panted, wrapping his arms around Sasuke and pulling him close for another kiss. "Just.. move.."

Sasuke pulled out a bit and gave a small thrust back.

Both boys moaned out loudly at the sensation of being filled with pure heat and the other being surrounded by pure heat. Arching back, Sasuke couldnt contain himself any longer and pulled out more this time before thrusting back in one fluid moment.

Naruto groaned as he too started to move his hips, picking up the slow rythem Sasuke had started by thrusting in and out of him.

"Oh damn.. Sasuke.." He hissed and panted, sucking on his lovers neck whenever he could get the chance, his body pumping up and down on his lover.

Sasuke thrust in more harder this time, completely burying himself now that Naruto's body had adjusted itself to his size. Naruto screamed out at the top of his lungs as Sasuke had found a certain spot deep inside of him, sending white electricty up both their spines as Naruto's move practically sucked him in, swallowing him whole.

"Sasuke.. move.."

Sasuke complied and let the raging white hea take over him as he thrust more and faster deep into Naruto, the feeling of melting inside of him coming closer by the second as the tight ball in his abdomen started to curl up untill he could hardly take it anymore, sending flashes before his eyes as the wonderful sensation of sliding in and out of Naruto hit his mind with the intention to explode any second.

"Naruto.. You feel.. so good.." He hissed, biting Naruto's earlobe.

"Faster.. oh gods.." Naruto moaned loudly, his face twisted in pleasure as Sasuke filled him, fucking him senseless. "Faster.. I'm going to.. ah.."

Sasuke sped up his pace and moved faster in and out of the other man, wanting, craving the ball to explode in his mind. He could feel Naruto tense around him and a white surge of energy overtook his mind and sent it reeling, blowing his soul to bits as he came, burying his seed deep inside of Naruto.

Feeling the hot liguid flow into him, the hard cock spasming deep inside of him was enough for Naruto's body to cave in and he too came hard, screaming Sasuke's name as he spilled his seed over their stomachs, arching back untill his spine couldnt bend back any further.

Then, the moaning and the sound of two bodies clashing together made way for the simple sound of two men panting and the wind blowing through the open balcony door.

Just as fast as their mutual climax had washed over them, sleep pulled their eyelids down as sleep took over, a signal that both bodies were exhausted.

Sasuke opened his eyes, finding the blonde panting underneath him and he gladly rested his head on top of the broad tanned torso, listening to the soft fast heartbeat of the man below him. He listened to the beat, slowing down together with the breathing, and he was amazed by the impact of such a normal, little thing. The sound, the low thumping rumbling through the chest and resonating in the soft skin underneath his cheeks, it was hypnotising and it sent his mind flying back to him with wonderful speed.

Sasuke smiled and snaked up a hand to ruffle the blonde locks framing the now almost sleeping face. He twisted a few bangs around between his fingers and looked at the golden strands whilst still listening to the beating of the large heart below him. And as Naruto softly sank away in a heavenly deep sleep, his dreams filled with wonder and new-found love, Sasuke caught himself being breathless as the raw realisation now finally soaked not only his body, but finally set down in his mind, never to let go again.

Naruto was alive. He was right there, sleeping, wrapped in his arms.

"Hey moron.." He whispered, poking Naruto's cheek with a long finger.

"HmmNmm.." Naruto groaned, quite asleep already.

"I think.. I might. Love you." Sasuke muttered, face flushing a bright red as he said that. How could he ever say that? To another guy no less, Naruto even. But deep down in his heart he knew it was the truth and lost in the moment as he was, it seemed like a good thing to say now before he always regretted it, he never knew if he ever got the chance to say it again, even if it felt half as if a thing done in the heat of a moment. But on moments like this, his mind replied softly, people are often most honest with their deepest of feelings..

Naruto's mouth curled up in a little smile as he buried his face in the raven locks of his lover.

"Yeah.. I think I love you too.. Sasuke.." He whispered, the last word not more than a mere breath as sleep completely took over.

Finally, Sasuke also succumbed to the sweet darkness that sleep was offering him and he gladly let his soul drift away in surreal colors as his dreams started to bring back what had just happened once more and he drifted away with a genuine smile plastered on his face.


	22. 21 Conflicted

Chapter 21: Conflicted

"Ow.." Naruto groaned and slid a hand through his hair, turning towards the source of his pain, a small but briljant ray of sunshine shining through the curtains in front of the large window. He shielded his eyes against the sharp ray with his right arm and grinned. The grin slowly turned into a full smile with a soft chuckle.

"Heh... hehehe.." Naruto thought of the night before, repressing the urge to laugh out loud at the happiness dancing around his heart. His head sure did hurt and he didn't wonder how that came to be, knowing it was a hangover with a capital H. At the same time he thanked the gods that he hadn't been so drunk to forget what had happened.

They say when a person drinks his true nature would be revealed, and Naruto deemed himself the impersonation of that idea. Sure it wasnt good to drink as much as he did after havent drunk anything for several months, but still. He could remember everything that had happened, meaning that he wasnt all that drunk after all and to his great relief every detail began surfacing again as he thought about it.

He chuckled, slightly embarrased as he slid a hand through his spiky bed-messed hair. Only a few days ago, he had started to find himself obsessing over Sasuke, only admitting yesterday that he had fallen in love with the boy. A month ago, he would even have thought of ever being with a boy and a year ago, he had been gritting his teeth at one of the main forces that drove him to his solitude and dubious reputation. Two years ago, he had hated Sasuke's guts out.

Five hours ago, he realised with a sigh, he had told him that he loved him as they connected their bodies. And Sasuke had told him the same.

The Sasuke that had hated him, despised him, tortured him and one of the main causes he had left Konoha to become what he was now. And now, that same Sasuke, in his pure black beauty, was sleeping beside him, chest bare and rising up and down as he breathed in his sleep. A casual flutter of his eyelids indicated he was dreaming, Naruto noticed.

It felt like a dream to him too, a painful dream with this hangover, but still a dream. Soft light flooded through the partially closed curtains, making the room glow with a faint yellow light.

Naruto gave a small kiss on Sasuke's forehead before giving a small affectionate tug on one of his bangs. He lifted himself off the small futon and found his boxers in a corner, next to his tossed aside blue yukata. He picked them up and flung it over a chair, hoping that the wrinkles would go away before he returned it to Tsunade, before he made his way to the bathroom.

He opened the cabinet above the sink, rummaging through various packages before he found a decent painkiller to numb his headache away with quite an amount of water. Awaiting the pain to fade away, he got out of his boxers again and turned on the shower and he breathed the thick hot steam in as it filled the bathroom.

He moaned when the hot water poured over his sore shoulders since he had slept in an odd position apparently sometime during the night and the smell of camomile filled his nose as he squirted a small amount of shampoo into his hand to wash his hair.

A small noise alerted him of someone else entering the bathroom and he sighed, feeling disappointed that he had woken Sasuke up before he could enjoy his sleeping face a little bit more.

"Good morning." He said in a sensual low voice, barely rising above the noise of the shower.

"Yeah.." An equal low reply came from behind the curtain. "Good morning.."

Naruto quickly ran a fair amount of water over his hair to wash the soap away and he pulled away the curtain, finding Sasuke leaning over the sink.

He grinned and reached out, placing a wet hand on the dark boy's shoulder and turning him around and giving him a small kiss on the cheek.

"Hn.." He sighed. "Now this is waking up.."

Sasuke looked to the side and grabbed a towel, rubbing it over his shoulder after pushing it into Naruto's face, pushing back in the shower.

"Hurry up dobe, I need a shower too."

Naruto turned the water off and reached for his towel hanging over a bar on the other side.

"Sorry for waking you up." He softly said. "I hoped that you would sleep some more so i could stare at that pretty face of yours some more."

"Shut up." Sasuke bit at him.

"Hmpf.. Excuse me for living." Naruto replied, annoyed by the coldness.

"Yeah."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Naruto slid the curtain away in a quick move, now starting to get pissed at Sasuke's rudeness.

"Nothing. Get out, I want to shower too."

"Can't you do it while I'm here? Its not like I havent seen you naked before." Naruto grinned, remembering Sasuke's body from the night before.

Sasuke blushed and turned away as Naruto exited the shower.

"Just get out."

Naruto looked at him for a second and shrugged. Sasuke was in a foul mood, that was obvious..

"What is your problem?" He huffed, hurt by the cold shoulder he was given.

"You are my problem. Get out."

"I am your problem?" Naruto yelled out in amazement. What the..

Sasuke quickly turned around, a scowl plastered on his face as he glared at Naruto.

"Yeah. Got a problem with that? This is my house, get out." He said once more.

Naruto put his hands in his sides and straightened his back.

"No."

"Are you stupid? I said, get out!"

"No! Not untill you tell me what the hell is going on!"

"Jeez Naruto!" Sasuke groaned, slapping his forehead. "Don't you get it?"

"No, I don't get it! I don't understand you at all."

"If you don't understand me, especially then now, get the fuck out of my house." Sasuke snarled, flashing his teeth in his anger.

"No! Was it something I did? Did I turn on the water too loudly? Did my kiss wake you? Was it.. Oh. I see now." He crossed his arms as a dark feeling crept over his mind.

"So that's how it is.." He softly said.

Yeah, so that's how it was. Sasuke had used him again, for his own pleasure. Everything he had said untill now was a fake, everything he did was only to make a fool out of him. The bastard was probably laughing inside now. After all those years, Sasuke had found a way to outdo him still. To be better than him and to use him and make a fool out of him.

Naruto looked to the ground, the tight feeling in his chest feeling bitter and acid. How could he have been so stupid, he asked himself. Sasuke had provoked him during their fight, only to catch him off-guard by kissing him. He must have found out, even if Naruto hadn't realised it himself at that time, that it was Naruto's weak point.

Sasuke had seduced his heart only to crush it the very next day. He knew Sasuke had been alone and his returning would have been the perfect opportunity for the dark boy to continue his act towards Naruto, giving a false feeling of superiority to the dark shinobi by leading him on and crushing him. All to make him feel better, to soothe and confirm his ego at the cost of Naruto.

He had started to believe Sasuke was happy with his return because he said he was his only friend he had ever had and he had lost him. But, as Naruto realised, that was not the reason he had been happy. His mind hazed by alcohol and the electric feeling of being so incredibly in love that he wanted to do anything to keep it, Sasuke had led him on to believe he was in love too.

In fact, the thought finally sinking into Naruto and sending a sharp pain into his heart, Sasuke had been glad that he returned because he now had someone again to put down, someone he could use to feel better himself, someone that wouldnt make him feel so alone and someone gullible enough to do anything he said in the blindness of being in love. Naruto knew he wasnt smart and he mentally hit himself in the face for being so blinded by Sasuke true nature, scolding himself for being so stupid to believe Sasuke had changed over the years.

"You havent changed at all, have you." He murmured, earning a frown from Sasuke.

"No, thanks for getting it through your thick skull. I havent changed at all."

"Heh, how could I have been so stupid."

"Hmpf.. don't tell me you ever thought you were smart Naruto." Sasuke sneered. "You never were, I will always be more than you in that matter."

Naruto nodded, that last sentence confirming what he suspected and had believed just now. Sasuke had wanted to outdo him.

"I never thought you would be so insane and so in love with yourself that you would crawl through my pants to get you to feel better." Naruto sharply hissed, glaring at Sasuke and feeling the adrenaline caused by his fury to flow rapidly through his veins. Every cell in his body got him ready to punch Sasuke in the face and to beat him to a bloody pulp once more.

"I may not be smart, but I'm not retarded. Sasuke." He stiffened up, making a fist.

"Make myself feel better? Who the fuck are you fooling moron!" Sasuke shot back at him, his eyes changing into his red sharingan, always meaning he meant serious business.

"Make myself feel better?" His voice shot out of tone in his rage. "Me feel better? What the fuck do you think Naruto?"

"What the hell should I think? I wake up next to the most beautiful boy I know only to have my heart crushed to the ground because he has to make himself feel superior. I didn't think you thought you wanted to outdo me in this way Sasuke! Like I'm some cheap fuck for you so you can brag to yourself that your had me this way too."

"Exactly!" Sasuke growled. "Exactly that. Why would I want to waste my time and life like this."

"So I am really just a cheap fuck to you!" Naruto shouted, feeling a stinging pain come up in his eyes, heating them up. His body relaxed as he lost the will to go against Sasuke anymore. "Okay, so you want me to admit that you won? That you're still stronger than me? Fine!" He spread his arms in surrender. "You beat me, again. Happy now? You completely won my heart, the last thing you never got your hands on and you have torn it apart. I lost to you. There, I said it."

"That doesn't change the fact asshole!"

Naruto frowned, it didn't?

"What the hell are you talking about? That's what you wanted to hear right? You said so yourself and I admitted it!"

"What do you take me for moron?" Sasuke sank to the seat of the toilet, burying his hands in his hair. He didn't even care that his body noticed Naruto's towel had started to slip from his waist, causing a blush to spread over his cheeks. "Gods.. What do you take me for.."

"For Sasuke, who else!" Naruto exclaimed, his arms still spread out.

"Jezus Naruto! If you take me for Sasuke, then what did you honestly think! You just said that I hadn't changed and damn it, you are right. Ooh you are so right, you have no idea." He said in a sarcastic tone.

"That's right, you havent changed at all." The blonde said the sentence as if he had just had eaten something very bitter.

"Damn.." Sasuke sighed, turning his head away.

"Okay. I get the point. I'll just head over to Iruka or Kakashi's and think this all never happened." He sighed. He didn't want to forget all of this all of his life, nor give up on Sasuke. But Sasuke was fighting him so fiercely now that he had figured for himself and for the other, that it would be better to leave him alone and do what he wanted.

"Wait.." Sasuke sat up a little more and looked at Naruto's blue eyes, stained in disappointment and pain. He felt his heart sting as he realised that he had hurt him. He didn't know how, but he had caused the pain that shone so obviously in them. "Hold on."

"Sure, I can handle another direct hit after all this, Sasuke." He growled the last word.

"How do you deal with this Naruto.."

"What?"

"How do you deal with this?"

"I can't deal with this! I'm leaving your royal assness alone like he wants me to. I'll keep my stupid mouth shut in front of everybody, but.." He pointed at Sasuke, "Don't think I'll ever forget this. This, and what happened before. Ever."

Sasuke jumped up from his seat and grabbed Naruto's wrist, stretched out at him to emphasize what he had just said.

"Listen you fucking moron." He hissed. "I don't understand you. How can you deal with all this? You say you'll keep it quiet, but you'll never forget it? How can you not want to forget all of this?"

"Because you made my heart soar, that's all what matters to me."

"But I'm a guy Naruto!"

"So?" Naruto frowned, what the hell was he on about now..

"So? So? We are both guys!"

"Yeah, I noticed that. And?"

"Its wrong! Guys can't be together. Guys arent supposed to fall in love and do.."

"Oh for heavens sake.." Naruto whined, getting the point. "Is that what all the fuss is about? Love is love alright? I don't know how, I don't care how, but I have fallen in love with you. And that's all that matters to me. I fell in love with Sasuke, and I don't care wether that Sasuke is a man or a woman. All I care for is that Sasuke loves me too." Naruto sighed and brushed a lock out of Sasuke's face with his free hand.

Sasuke's mind had gone blank after the second sentence, the others flying through his mind over and over without ever quite settling.

Inside, he cursed the open honesty that Naruto still possessed, wondering about what he was saying. And if he meant it. But knowing Naruto, he felt deep inside that he had meant everything he had just said. It scared him beyond belief.

Had it all been one misunderstanding?

Sasuke had found his bed empty when he woke up and Naruto in the shower. The yukata had been placed on the chair and it had seemed as if Naruto was going to leave. As if nothing had happened, as if it had been something that he had done because he had been drunk and not because he had loved Sasuke.

The dark shinobi gasped as the words of Naruto finally set in.

"You.." He inhaled deeply. "You were drunk."

Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, I think I was. Well to be honest I didn't feel vey drunk after a while but.."

"Then be honest with me, did you sleep with me because you wanted to or because you were in the mood and I happened to be around?" He looked up Naruto, ready for any answer.

"So that's what you thought." Naruto sighed and chuckled. "You are such an idiot."

"Just give me the damn answer Naruto!" Sasuke shouted, tired of waiting and afraid of the answer.

"You think too much, assume too much. Don't you know that alcohol losens people up and make them show their real feelings more easily?" He reached out with his free hand and grabbed Sasuke's shoulder, pulling him closer. "I did it because I wanted you. I wanted Sasuke. I have fallen in love with you and I did it because I wanted to become part of you, because I wanted everything of you." 

Naruto gave a few small kisses on Sasuke's cheek, but stopped immediately as he felt the broad shoulder shudder, his breathing unstable. He pulled back and looked at the pale delicate face of his former teammate. A small tear had flowed down the white cheek and the eyes were cast down. Sasuke didn't make a sound as he tried to hold back the tears welling up in his eyes.

"Damn you.." Sasuke softly whispered, barely loud enough for Naruto to hear.

"I don't care if we are both guys or not.. I just love you for who you are." Naruto told him, tightening the hug more now that he could easily free his hand from Sasuke's grip.

"You don't know who I am..."

"Then show me who you are." Naruto buried his face in the long black hair and deeply inhaled Sasuke's scent, warm and tantalizing.

Naruto let out a long breath and rested his head on the strong shoulder of the young man in front of him.

"How stupid we are.." He whispered.

"I'm sorry.." Sasuke said, finally accepting his words and his embrace, pressing him closer to him as to never let go.

"Doesn't matter. We both made the wrong assumptions. I'm sorry too. I'm too stupid to notice what is wrong sometimes."

"I envy you."

"What?"

"Always envied you. I know why you always had so many people around you in our class. You were always so open and honest about everything. I could never do that."

"Heh, that's the first time I hear somebody say he regrets being smart."

"Hm.." Sasuke buried his face in the tanned neck. "Maybe that's not called smart but stupid.."

"I don't care. I don't care about what has happened in the past. We were both hurt, be it in diffirent ways. I don't care about the past anymore." He reluctantly pulled his face away from the addicting sweet scent and looked Sasuke in the deep black, tear-stained eyes. "A ninja can die at any moment. We only live in the now, today."

His forehead touched Sasuke's as he slowly leaned in and placed his lips over the other man's. The slightly parted lips granted him access to Sasuke's mouth and he slowly dipped his tongue in, sliding softly against his teeth. Sasuke responded and met his tongue with his, his hand sliding behind his head to pull him closer in an attempt to be as close to Naruto as he could.

Naruto broke the kiss before giving a small lick to his lower lip.

"And I'm in love with you now. That's all I care about."

He grinned and slid his hand down Sasuke's back.

"Don't tell me that you don't like it.." He softly whispered in Sasuke's ear, giving his earlobe a small lick. "Because if you don't like it... your body is a terrible liar.."

Sasuke felt a big bitter knot uncurl in his stomach, replaced by an electric tight ball of adrenaline as he pulled Naruto back into another mind blowing kiss.

Naruto was right about everything. He knew he shouldn't focus on what had happened to him before, but only on the now and what he was feeling at this very moment. The sensation of Naruto's soft tongue against his own, sliding and fighting in a sensual way with his, the feeling it caused making his toes curl in the moment was all that mattered. His whole being, body and mind, screamed out, pouring out the love he had bottled up ever since Naruto had left. He wasnt just in love, he realised, he loved Naruto with every cell in his body. His scent, his hard body pressing against his, the damp hair leaving a drop of water on his cheek and his low voice moaning into the kiss, it all led up to only one conclusion.

Sasuke broke the kiss and he gave a devious smirk, fired up by the passion they had both been sending into kiss.

"What?" Naruto asked him with a frown at the sudden smirk, his kiss-swollen lips quirked up.

"I think I'm in love with hmpff.." He was cut short as Naruto's lips descended on his again and a big hand sneaked up under his shirt.

Who cared about what he said, Sasuke thought. They were telling everything they needed to know with their bodies alone. There was no need for words.

A sharp knock on the door brought them partially back to reality as they tried to ignore it.

Sasuke sighed and broke the kiss as another sharp knock came. Naruto turned to place a few kisses on his neck, sucking at the soft skin there.

"Naruto.. Someone.."

"Leave it.." Naruto mumbled with a ragged voice against his neck, now turning his attention to the smooth skin on his collarbone.

"Sasuke! Open up!" The loud low voice of Kakashi sounded through his house, loud enough to make both boys groan knowing there was no way to escape the supreme ninja.

Sasuke slowly pushed Naruto away and straightened out his shirt a little. Naruto rolled his eyes in disappointment and then noticed that the lose white towel around his waist had started to come undone, nearly falling to floor as they seperated.

"I uh.." Sasuke muttered, a heavy blush spread across his cheek and licking his lips quickly, maybe hoping that it would wash away the redness in them that gave away so clearly the fiery kisses he had just shared with Naruto.

Naruto shortly waved before turning to his towel.

"Yeah.. go. We don't want to piss him off." He gave a slightly panicked look and grinned as he tied a new knot in his towel.

Sasuke looked down and nodded before quickly making his exit, knowing that what he had just seen would make his appearance even worse.

Naruto looked at the strange nervous way Sasuke exited the bathroom before turning around to look around for his boxers. Just when he found them, untying his knot again, he gasped and groaned at the obvious tent bulging underneath the towel.

Time for a very cold shower.. He thought, doing just that.

Sasuke opened the door, finding Kakashi on his doorstep, hands in his pockets in the familiar pose as the large man leaned against the door.

"We need to talk."


	23. 22 Bad Talk

Chapter 22: Bad talk

Naruto exited the shower, hoping Kakashi had left so he could continue where he had left off with Sasuke and his stomach made a flutter as he thought about it. He had to dismiss the thought soon enough, as he realised that doing so would cause him to go for another round of a very cold shower.

Upon entering the bedroom he found no Sasuke there. He called out to him but no answer came. Shrugging, he got dressed in a fresh set of dark wide pants and his black shirt with the orange rims. He brushed his hair back and picked up his foreheadprotector again. He had always had it with him, wearing it at first, but as time passed he kept it inside his backpack to keep his identity safe. But now that his identity was known in the village, he felt it would be stupid if he didnt wear it now. After all, he was still a ninja of Konoha and he had returned. He had defeated the kyuubi hadnt he? Didnt he complete his mission and thus earning himself a place amongst the ranks of the ninja's again?

He nodded and thought of a good place to tie it on. He had started to grow fond of his hair all lose around his face so putting it around his forehead wasnt an option. Instead, he decided for his left shoulder, much like Shikamaru had always done.

"Naruto.." A low voice came from behind him, a familiar voice accompanied by a long sigh.

Naruto turned around and to his shock found his former teacher standing there, right next to the bed where last they night they..

"Iruka-sensei? Jee.. you scared the living hell out of me."

Iruka grinned and scratched the back of his head, playing innocent.

"I'm sorry Naruto.."

"Yeah well.. whatever. What brings you here sensei?" He asked, shuffling clothes and other signs of what had happened away with his feet.

"We have something to ask you. Please come with me."

Naruto tilted his head.

"This sounds serious..."

"Thats because it is serious. Are you ready?"

"Yeah.. but.."

"Good. Follow me to Tsunade then."

Naruto sighed and nodded. It must be something very important if his former sensei sneaked up on him like that and without more a do demanded he followed him to Tsunade, the current Hokage. Iruka responded to the nod and turned around to the window, signaling the fastest way for them to get unseen to Tsunade's office was to leap over the roofs.

As the sunrays poured into the room, Naruto shielded his eyes against their brilliance and it reminded him that it was still a very hot summer outside, something his skin just couldnt get used too. He rubbed his shoulders, remembering how Kakashi had placed the seals on them and he regretted having them, wanting to adjust to the temperature again so he wouldnt get burned in the hot sun.

Maybe that was it! Maybe Tsunade had called him to her to get rid of the seals. He had defeated the Kyuubi hadnt he? And he had revealed himself to the whole village yesterday, there should be no use for the strong seals anymore right?

Satisfied with his hunch about the sudden call, he followed Iruka as they swiftly leapt over the rooftops, Iruka once again making a lot more noise than he should be doing, Naruto thought with a grin. After all, Iruka was still a chuunin, whereas Naruto, officially a genin, was already at Anbu level. The motherly man probably would never learn how to be as swift and silent as the wind, but that never mattered anyway.

"Thanks for telling us Sasuke." Tsunade scribbled down the last part of her report on a new page.

"Yeah.. whatever." Sasuke blushed, wanting nothing more then to get the hell out of there as soon as he could. He never wanted to tell anything about what had happened between him and Naruto, but for some reason they didnt seem to mind and even worse, they had seen it coming. He softly groaned, wanting to go back to his house and spend the whole day in wonder at what had happened and about what was to come now.

Tsunade put her pen down on the paper and reached for her cup of coffee standing at the other side of her desk, almost buried in a pile of papers and files.

"Now then.." She sighed, taking a sip from her coffee.

She glanced around and named all the nin's in her room in her head to see if she had all the ones she needed. There was Genma and Raidou, the inseperable nins that had become her loyal assistants, even if it meant hitting her if she had fallen asleep again.

There was Konohamaru, a young but already handsome man who helped her with paperwork, still determined as ever to become hokage himself like his grandfather and he had explained he wanted to know everything about it, including the boring paperwork that each Hokage was dumped in without ever knowing how to handle it. He was determined to become the first Hokage who wasnt only good in protecting, but also in all the administration so he wouldnt have to waste good nins like Genma and Raidou on mere files instead of protecting the village. Tsunade had heard him tell this and was amused by his statement and as usual, in dire need of another helper, she had accepted him around her.

Then there was Sasuke, blushing like he had done the most terrible thing in the world, making him instantly a couple of years younger and somehow insanely cute. Kakashi leaned against the wall behind him, eyes focused on the ground and arms folded as he was far away in his own thoughts. Jiraiya, sitting on the big chair near the window, was smoking his pipe and switched gazes with everyone in the room, unsure of what to say or think. Iruka had gone out to get Naruto. The only other person in the room was Shikamaru, the most brilliant nin's of Naruto's generation and very much one of the greatest strategic assets they had in Konoha.

Tsunade sighed.

"Konohamaru.."

"Yes?" The dark-haired genin asked.

"Please go get Yamanaka Ino for me and bring her as soon as you can."

"Yes, Hokage-sama." He bowed before running out of the door, knowing this was some serious business by the things they had talked about before.

"Well then. We all know what is going to happen right?" She rested her hands on her desk like a president making his final decision for a drastic measure.

All the people in her room looked away from her and nodded.

"Aw.. this could be bad.." She groaned and slid a hand through her platinum blonde hair. "Okay, let me be alone with him and you guys explain what we are going to do with him to Ino as soon as she gets here. Shikamaru, you're in charge. Kakashi, you watch over my back from behind the door and I'll do my best to handle Naruto should the situation call for it."

"Yeah.." The tall man complied, understanding his assignment.

As soon as they closed the large wooden door behind them, a loud thud could be heard as Iruka and Naruto arrived through the window. Shikamaru looked behind him and Sasuke and Kakashi nodded, signaling that it was time to keep all mouths shut and all ears and eyes wide open.

"Ah, Naruto." Tsunade said, looking up from the paper she had been 'reading'. "Glad you made it here."

"Yeah, thanks and good morning Tsunade-baba." He said, displaying one of his most radiant smiles. Seals were going to be removed, Sasuke loved him and the wind outside was perfect, what else could he wish for?

"Yeah.. Good morning." Tsunade sighed. "Thank you Iruka."

"No problem." Iruka replied, feeling more uneasy with each passing moment.

"Its alright if you want to leave, I want to talk to Naruto in private anyway."

Iruka made a small bow and walked through the door, happy to see Kakashi there with his sharingan activated and a panting Konohamaru. Now it was all a matter of time.

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Naruto tilted his head and crossed his arms, sensing something bad was coming.

"Okay, I will come clean with you. But answer me first, is the kyuubi gone?"

Naruto frowned.

"Yes of course. I could fight all out even with the restriction seals so I think its gone now."

"But are you sure?"

Naruto thought for a moment.

"Yeah. I think I'm sure."

Tsunade sighed, she didnt like that pause at all. Not. At. All.

"Why?" He asked in return.

"Last night we sensed a sudden outburst of chakra, more than anything we expected. It was familiar and it all woke us up."

"Yeah.. And?"

"Take your shirt off."

"Eh?"

"Just do it!"

"Okay okay.." He sighed and did as he was told, pulling the black shirt over his head, keeping it in one hand.

Tsunade examined him from a distance and then got up to take a closer look. She stood before him, noticing how all the scars on his broken arm had healed away and the two seals on his shoulders, to her utter horror, had started to unravel. They were no longer a tight black knot, but more like a lose tattoo. She couldnt pick up more energy of them than a 3rd rank seal would emit. Naruto closely followed the movements of her eyes, trying to read her mind. But something else got her attention, worrying her even more than the seals.

"Yesterday.." She began. "You got drunk right?"

Naruto blushed and looked to the side as if he had done something a naughty boy would have done.

"Yeah, kinda."

She nodded and touched both seals and she watched, just as Naruto, how the seals unfolded and finally disappeared.

"Thank you." He said. "I dont need them anymore."

"You're wrong." She said with a deep sigh.

"What?"

"Can you do the rasengan still?"

"Of course.."

"Do it for me."

"Why?"

"Dont ask questions! Just.. do it."

"Hmff.." He huffed. "Alright."

Tsunade knew the dangers of such a powerful justu in such a small room, but she had to take that risk. She had to find out as soon as she could, she thought as she watched Naruto concentrate his chakra in his right palm without any effort. When he was younger, he used to need a shadow clone to do this, but right now he did it without even breaking a sweat, as if it was as simple as drinking a glass of water, which worried her even more.

Soon, the glowing blue ball of raging energy appeared in his hand and he looked up, wondering what to do with it. For a second he felt a bit faint and dizzy and he figured it must have been because he hadn't used the rasengan for so long and with the seals and the Kyuubi gone, it must drain more energy than usual.

"Yeah.. thats enough.. Thank you, Naruto."

Naruto dropped his energy and the ball disappeared in a puff of white smoke, as if it had been an illusion. The fierce energy he put into it did not scar his hand anymore and after months of training it had become almost a second nature to him to call forth such power as if it was blowing away a leaf fallen on his shoulder. Wait a minute..

He looked up to Tsunade, who had her hand slapped over her mouth and her face slightly twisted in shock.

"What?"

"I'm.. I'm not sure Naruto.." She whispered.

She put her hands on her hips and sighed deeply.

"Come on in." She said after a few confusing seconds, with Naruto tilting his head in wonder what she was talking about and what seemed to wrong about the whole situation.

The heavy wooden door opened and a large group of people poured in. Naruto saw Iruka with his hand on Kakashi's shoulder and Kakashi with his sharingan open as well as Sasuke, who was looking away as soon as they locked eyes. Sakura had her hands folded in front of her face with Ino by her side, eyes also averted and sighing. It seemed that everybody, even Neji and Hinata who had joined, had their inherited powers on like the sharingan and the byakugan.

"What.." He asked, frowning. "You guys look like you belong in a funeral." His statement was only met with silence and the expressions on their faces only worried him. Even Sasuke wasn't looking at him but had his eyes turned to the ground, hiding himself partially behind Lee as if he didnt want to be seen. "...Sasuke? Kakashi? What's going on?"

"Ino. Tell us." Tsunade told the platinum blonde.

"Yes Hokage-sama." She formally began. "I'll be short. The Kyuubi.. is still there."

"What!" Naruto exclaimed.

"As I thought.." Tsunade sighed.

"Yeah." Ino nodded.

"What the hell is going on?" Naruto shouted, his hands signaling his dispair as he made wide movements. "I fought with Sasuke! I fought him all out and beat him till he was bloody and bruised all over! I did that all with my own power, with the seals, with the restrictions Kakashi placed on me!"

"Yes we know."

"Then how on earth can you say its still there? It's impossible! How can you say it so.. so sure?" He dropped his arms, flabbergasted by what was said to him.

"Look." Tsunade began."Last night, we all sensed a huge burst of power and it all woke us up in fear. It seemed oddly familiar, a feeling we did not want to sense ever again."

Sasuke looked up at him, a faint blush tinting his cheeks. He knew it must have happened when Naruto poured all of his energy into him, whilst they were at their climax having.. sex.

"And it came from where you were, with Sasuke." She spread her arms, showing the group to him. "You were, as always unfortunately, always a risk to us and after last night we had to make sure. So I asked all of them to come and test. Kakashi."

Kakashi looked at her, sliding his headband back over his eye, and nodded slowly.

"Neji and Hinata." Both looked to the ground and nodded too. "Yeah, it's there.."

"And Ino. They all had to look through you, with Ino making sure what was going on by taking over your soul for a moment. Remember, we are all much more skilled than you used to think we were. They've grown too."

"I.. I didn't.."

"I took over to see what kind of energy you used when doing the rasengan, your most powerful attack you ever had." Ino explained. "And I found the exact same foul kind of energy that you used two years ago. It's much more sophisticated, mature maybe, than it used to be but still it felt very much the same as it used to be. The same energy that came off the Kyuubi."

"Hinata and I also checked what energy you used to do the rasengan just now. Normal chakra flows from various points from your body to a single focal point in your hand, just as happens when Jiraiya does it. This time however, it flowed directly from a single point into your hand. The Kyuubi, as we know it, does that in the same way. I'm sorry Naruto.." Neji sighed and crossed his arms, switching his Byakugan off.

"The same is with us Naruto.." Kakashi said, nodding to Sasuke who also had his Sharingan activated. "The flow of energy is diffirent from when you fought Sasuke, so that fight was really done on your own, but the rasengan is a whole other thing. A jutsu too much for you to handle so soon already. The mere fact that you could do it just now with such great ease was a significant sign that the Kyuubi is still there."

Tsunade nodded at the findings they all listed. It was as clear as mountain water. Naruto had forced the Kyuubi away, with a great deal of help of the seals, but somehow they got unraveled and the Kyuubi must have seen his chance to pour out again. Naruto, used to the Kyuubi, was too oblivious and used to that kind of energy to notice the change or the small cracks that had appeared in the seals.

"You were always good in hiding the seal of the Kyuubi on your stomach." She said with a grin, remembering how his body had made it appear like a small circular scar on his stomach. "Look at it now."

Naruto nodded, unable to say anything after all he heard, and lifted his shirt up and looked down.

Instead of the pure black elaborate seal, or the small scar he had always used, was now a mix of the two. The huge seal it was after letting go of the Kyuubi once, that time at the river, was still the same, but now in scars. Uncontrolled and out in the open, it had been a vivid black. Hidden, it had been a scar the size of a large coin.

"It's been unleashed." She said, pointing to the large elegant scar on his stomach. "Not completely yet, but it's much more present than it used to be with the seals on. Now, even with the seals removed, it's still the same."

"What does that mean Hokage?" Sakura asked in worry.

"That means that somehow, the Kyuubi has broken through the seal and made his body adapt. Not enough to cover up everything of the old seal, but enough to show for the trained eye."

Naruto lowered his shirt and looked at her, panicked.

"We talked to Sasuke. You were drunk. You werent drunk an hour later. Nobody recovers that quickly from alcohol, only you and the healing abilities of the Kyuubi could do that. Your wounds from that fight had recovered much faster than anyone else's would have. And now that your energy has changed back again, we can only say one thing. The Kyuubi isnt gone yet, by far." She too crossed her arms and looked at him.

Naruto was still silent, trying to process everything in his mind. It made sense. To his utter horror, it all made perfectly sense. The feral need he had felt yesterday, pouring through him like nothing else, that deep-rooted lust and his sudden power. The ease with which he had done the rasengan, the quick recovery from the alcohol, the new sense of energy he had felt, the dizzyness when Ino had taken over, and worst of all maybe, his arm was fully recovered, a thing only the Kyuubi could have done.

The seals had leeked, his desire to fight and later love Sasuke had enhanced the beast inside of him and had given it a reason to break out whatever the cost and his own development of chakra had been too weak to automatically push back the creature.

"I know." He finally said. "I goddamn know it's still here.."

"Naruto look.." Tsunade said, but was cut short.

"I should have seen it coming, I should have known it wasnt as easy as just beating Sasuke to a bloody pulp. It was just as easy as I hoped it would be. How naive.. I can't believe I would be so stupid to think I could beat it this easily."

"We've never have to deal with anything like this Naruto, you could know, nobody could."

"Doesn't matter! As soon as I noticed I was.. As soon as I felt I was.." He didnt want to finish his sentences. He didnt want to tell all out what was going on between him and Sasuke and what it might have caused. He had been blinded, perhaps by himself, perhaps by the Kyuubi, falling for his former rival and relishing himself in the love that started to bloom between them. He had set his mind and worries about the Kyuubi aside and had focused on Sasuke, so blindly in love.

"Damn it.." He clenched his fist.

"Don't worry." Tsunade patted him on his shoulder. "This might seem all a bit drastic, but you scared us last night and we had to make sure before it was too late."

Naruto nodded.

"You will go on fighting and training, with Kakashi's supervision and help this time, and with new seals. And you will go on fighting untill we can make sure the Kyuubi is fully gone. Ino and Neji will check on you every day and report to me with the results." She turned around to the persons she just assigned to watch over him. "And of course, Sasuke will help you with your training too." She smiled to him.

"Okay.." He said with a sigh, not at all happy with a new strict plan of training, but knowing it was essential.

"Yup! Don't worry about it Naruto!" Lee beamed, walking over to stand next to his boyfriend, Neji and sticking his thumb up. "You'll be fine."

Naruto grinned. The dorky boy still hadnt changed all that much inside.

"You are only going to continue your training, nothing bad right?" Sakura nodded with a grin.

"Heh, thats right.. I guess.." Naruto scratched the back of his head and gave a faint smile.

"No worries." Iruka smiled and looked at him like a father, much like he had always done and Naruto noted how Kakashi had his left hand brushing against Iruka's right hand and nodded to him as well. At that moment, with even Sasuke staring at him, be it still a bit worried, from behind them made him feel happy even in these odd circumstances. He was looky to have such great people looking after him.

But as unreadable as Sasuke always was, he now too wondered what the dark boy was thinking, having said nothing. Naruto sighed, hoping Sasuke would still want him, even in the smallest amount. Sasuke was unpredictable, as he was always, and deep in heart Naruto was worried what he was thinking.

"Sasuke." Tsunade said, making said person look up at her, breaking his gaze on Naruto. "I need to ask you something." She beckoned him closer and while people were talking Naruto, he felt his eyes follow the pale man. Tsunade whispered something in his ear and he nodded slowly, obviously not happy with what she said.

Naruto sighed, now what was that all about and he had a faint, disturbing feeling that it was something that had to do with him.


	24. 23 Solving

Chapter 23: Solving

"Tsunade, can I talk to you for a bit." Sasuke said, one eye on Naruto, feeling a strange mixture of guilt and compassion flow through him. He wanted to help naruto, he wanted to take away the disappointment, he wanted to stop the hurt and shock that shone so brightly in the heavenly eyes. He felt guilty for unleashing the Kyuubi by pouring all his energy into the tall young man, even though the seal had evidence it had started to unravel before they had made love. Still, a part of him knew it and yet he felt as if he had been one of the causes to the new threat. Maybe, if Naruto's attention wouldnt have been on him all the time, he would have focused more on his powers and the more than usual speed at which he recovered. If he hadnt had sasuke around him, would he have noticed that? Would he have seen that he hadnt defeated the bastard fox yet?

Sasuke looked down as soon as naruto looked up at him, trying to find a person to hold on in a moment of confusion. Sasuke sighed, knowing that him averting his eyes must have hurt naruto and it hurt him having to do that. But he had to clean his head for a moment as various thought loomed up and rooted themselves in his mind. Ideas, fears and thoughts about the whole situation and between them was a particular stubborn thought, a very unnerving one, but one very important.

"Yes?" Tsunade approached him, leaving Naruto to Iruka and Kakashi to think up a plan.

"I think.. I know something." He said.

Sasuke.. Naruto looked a few feet away from him where the man stood that had made clear he loved him just the night before, the man that had.. unleashed such a powerful demon inside of him, the last drop of water in an already full bucket, causing it to overflow. He saw the dark shinobi avert his eyes as soon as he tried to lock eyes and ask him for help. He didnt know what to do or where to start. He hadnt paid attention to his fast healing nor to his growing dormant power, not even when he had stood in front of Tsunade pulling a Rasengan out of his sleeve as if it were nothing. He had grown so used to his immense power that it didnt alarm him even once.

Now he was once again locked in a battle with himself and the demon still inside of him and by the looks of it, it was winning once again. And to make matters worse, it had almost seemed as if sasuke didnt want to look at him anymore, as if he was disgusted by the fact that he was still weak and still had the cursed beast in him and it would never be gone.

The man still was unreadable, but everything naruto read from his movements meant no good. The averted eyes, the whispering with Tsunade, the almost deeply disappointed look in his eyes before they turned away, it only added to his confusion. Did they mean resentment or guilt? Did he feel guilty for being such a large part in this turn of events? Was he disappointed that it was still there and back, strong enough to break the seal and naruto still as weak as he always thought him to be? Was it anger that he was so weak or did he blame Naruto for bringing such a dangerous creature back? Or was it, a thing he feared most, the idea that naruto had held the kyuubi and the growing powers back for him, pretending to be defenseless and equal so he could get to sasuke?

Naruto shivered at the last thought, that sasuke thought he might have pretended, that he had gotten sasuke's semi-trust, he neved had opened up for real yet, and had cast it aside for his own gain.

He heard Kakashi and Iruka talk to him and eachother, waving their arms around wildly as they planned out a good strategy, but he only had eyes for the back of the man he had grown to love so much. Sasuke nodded every now and then as he talked to Tsunade, shrugging sometimes and lowering his head as if he was sighing. Tsunade patted him on a shoulder and seemed to convince him of something, confirmed by a short nod by Sasuke and a fear that she was saying things like "He didnt mean to." Or "He didnt know." once again captured his heart and mind. He knew he was feeling paranoid and confused, but to be honest, he didnt know what to think or do anymore. There was only one thing fixed in his mind at that moment, that he didnt want to let go of what had happened, he didnt want to lose sasuke.

Naruto balled his hand into a fist and made a decision. He wasnt going to lose sasuke over a thing like this. He was going to prove he was stronger than the kyuubi, that he could beat it on his own and prove to sasuke and himself he was strong enough and that he had never meant whatever sasuke was feeling right now. And he wanted to do it quick. No time wasting on talking or planning on anything. He might have lost sasuke now, he didnt want to lose him for long and he was going to get him back with his own power, mending the damaged trust.

This was it. He was going to prove his worth. He smirked and nodded to the slender back of Sasuke, a few feet away. I'm going to prove it to you, I swear, I'm going to prove I can finally beat this thing and I will make you love me.

"Naruto? What is it?" Iruka asked him with a frown. He had witnessed Naruto's face shift from confusion to sadness and finally ending up in some weird frowning smirk, as if he had decided something for himself but he didnt know how the hell he was going to accomplish whatever he was planning. It was quite adorable and to come up with such a precious visage in a time like this lightened up his mood instantly.

"Huh?" Naruto replied, shaking his expression off his face to pay attention for a change.

Iruka giggled, earning a questioning look from Kakashi.

"Nevermind." He grinned.

"So, thats what we are going to do then?" Kakashi fell back in his usual slouch, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I guess." Iruka replied.

"And whats that?" Naruto asked the two men, mentally slapping himself, he should have paid at least a bit of attention to what they had been discussing..

"Jeez Naruto.." Iruka sighed. "Well, um.. its like this.."

"You're going to stay with sasuke." Kakashi said after a moment of silence, since Iruka couldnt quite find the words he was looking for and he picked up an interesting thing from an other conversation behind him. He smirked underneath his mask, that Sasuke and Tsunade, how smart.

"Uh? Kakashi, what are you talking about?" Iruka shouted out, that wasnt what they had decided!

"Yup.. He's going to stay with Sasuke."

Naruto frowned, having expected to be taken away from the boy because he was a threat.

"But why? Isnt that too dangerous right now?" Iruka crossed his arms. He hated it when Kakashi had other plans than he at first had said. But the jounin was higher in rank and as much as he hated it, he had to submit to whatever decision the grey shinobi made.

"No."

"No?"

"No. ... You deaf?" Iruka could just see the grin plastered on Kakashi's face underneath the mask.

"No, you idiot, but would you perhaps, if you feel like it, explain it a bit?"

"Oh, you should have just asked that."

Iruka rolled his eyes.

"You should have just explained."

"Hm.. yeah. Maybe."

"Would you just tell it already Kakashi no moron!" Naruto shouted, annoyed by the play the two men put up.

"Huh?"

"Oh for Pete's sake!" Naruto groaned.

"Just kidding. Just kidding." Kakashi smiled and patted his shoulder. "But you are going to have to trust me alright?"

"As usual.."

"Yup."

Naruto sighed.

"Just explain sensei.."

"Nothing much to explain. You are going to train some more and you're going to stay with sasuke."

"Thats it?" Iruka exclaimed, his mind flushing the complicated first plan involving various back-up plans, schemes and schedules, ropes and mind games.

"Yup, thats all."

"Sensei, it failed before." Naruto glared at Kakashi, starting to believe he was making a fool of him.

"Yeah." Kakashi said dryly.

"What makes you even think that it could work this time."

"I don't, just trust me."

"That doesnt make any sense Kakashi." Iruka butted in. "There is too much danger. What if he hurt sasuke again if the demon got unleashed? What if he cant keep control at all? What if he went berserk and the kyuubi broke free in all, destroying konoha again? I dont want people to lose their loved ones ever again, Kakashi!" Iruka shouted out, angry at the mere thought of such a terrible disaster happening again.

Naruto just felt more guilty and let his shoulders hang. He knew damn well he was a threat, a natural disaster, a ticking timebomb that could go off any minute.

Luckily Iruka picked that up.

"Oh.. it's not your fault Naruto. You can't.."

"I know I know, I cant help it, I was cursed by it but I didnt do it I know!" He growled. "I know all of it and I dont want it happening ever again. Kakashi." He turned to his second teacher. "Are you sure thats the solution?"

"Yeah."

"Even if it means I can decimate the whole town again?"

"Yeah."

"But.. I mean.. Are you sure? I can.."

"Naruto.." Kakashi smiled and put a hand on the broad shoulder. "Trust me. There is a plan but I cant let you know about it for your own good. Just trust me. Alright?"

Naruto sighed deeply and stared into the only visible eye of his mentor, looking for answer and looking for a hint of confidence. He nodded when he found a large deal of confidence in his teachers eye, submitting to the advice and assuring himself that Kakashi walked a thin line between idiocy and genius and that this time it was the genius that had made the plan.

"Alright.."

"Naruto! You cant do that! You might kill sasuke, you might even kill us all even you lose grip on the Kyuubi!" Iruka shouted out, shaking his shoulders.

Naruto sighed, he could understand this fatherly worry from the still young teacher.

"Ne, Iruka-sensei. Do you trust Kakashi completely?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then shut up." Naruto grinned.

"But.."

"Please?" Kakashi joined in, giving him one of his little lost hurt puppy looks.

"Well.." Iruka saw the danger in what Kakashi had proposed, but he also knew there had to be a plan behind it. But the choice.. safety or risk.. Did he trust Kakashi? Yeah, his mind said immediately. Naruto seemed to trust the man completely too. Hm.. Thats two to one, his mind said logically, like a teacher would.

"Thats two versus one." He said, pouting. "Alright.."

Kakashi beamed and pulled Iruka close in a hug, two little blushes appearing on his cheek. His whole body seemed to scream out 'You are so cute' and Iruka knew it, as he pushed the large man away from him, a blush burning on his face as he faked a bruised pride by the hug.

"Get away from me you idiot." Iruka growled, a smile tugging at his lips.

Naruto watched Kakashi squirm Iruka back into his arms and he grinned at the touching comical scene between the two friends. He almost immediately scratched the word friends from that sentence to replace it by 'friends and somewhat more'. It was almost too obvious and beside the one odd look by a fellow ninja in the room, everybody seemed to have accepted the playful flirting of the two. It felt rather funny and somehow comforting to know he wasnt the only one who could find love in another man.

His mind wandered back to Sasuke, who seemed to have finished the talk with Tsunade. The young man turned around and his eyes locked with Naruto's even before his body made the full turn. Naruto held his breath, afraid of what he was going to read from the deep black eyes.

"Kakashi, Iruka, c'mere." Tsunade said, turning her attention away from Sasuke now their talk was over and sasuke smirked, pointing to the door.

Naruto tilted his head wondering what it meant, but Sasuke made clear what he meant by tilting his head too and walking towards the door, still looking at naruto. In his stupidity, naruto only got the hint at the last moment and he ran towards the door shortly after Sasuke had disappeared behind it.

"Sasuke?"

He found the other man around the corner, slightly down the stairs and he ran up to him, standing in front of him, noticing he had become slightly taller. Sasuke had his eyes to the ground, as if he was thinking about something deeply and naruto couldnt see what it was, and guilt took over him.

"Yeah?" Sasuke replied softly to his name.

"Are you.." He leaned forward, concerned about the man in front of him, eyes still hidden by the lowered head and the long black bangs in front of his face.

Naruto was cut short as Sasuke quickly lifted his head and captured naruto's lips with his own. Naruto felt himself melt at the soft and hot touch and slid his arms around the strong shinobi, pulling him closer and opening his mouth slightly as he felt a soft tongue push against his lips. Sasuke quickly picked the invitation up and slid his tongue inside the others mouth, tasting Naruto on his lips and drowning himself in the delicious deep masculine scent. Naruto felt as if he was sucked in by the other boy, as if his whole soul was drained into the other in this deep kiss and he didnt mind a bit as he played with the others tongue.

Sasuke broke the kiss slightly and licked naruto's bottom lip and moved down his neck to plant little kisses along the way. Naruto shivered. The place they were at, their former teachers only a few feet away and Sasuke was here blowing his mind away and sending his skin on fire without having said a word about the whole deal, and it worked like magic. Somehow, if he intended it or not, it was taking away his worries like snow melted away in a hot spring sun.

He slid his hands up to cup the strong face of Sasuke and pulled it back up so he could kiss the red lips. Softly he covered the slightly open mouth of sasuke and waited for the other to make a move. Sasuke gripped the wrists of Naruto and raised his shoulders as if he was lifted up from the kiss itself and he opened his mouth so naruto could slide in with his own, playing around in Sasuke's mouth in a simple battle over the senses. He didnt know which one to focus on, the delightful tingling of his lips, the softness of sasuke's tongue and mouth, the deep warm scent enveloping him or the beautiful face relaxed in bliss and for a moment, it seemed to him that Sasuke craved him, enhanced even more by the vigour with which the black haired man was kissing him back.

Sasuke softly broke the kiss and let his forehead rest against naruto's.

"You are driving me crazy.." Naruto whispered.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke answered, actually not knowing at all how to reply.

"No no.. It's.. it's good." He chuckled. "It's all good.."

"Hehe.. Yeah.." Sasuke chuckled too before both men fell into a comfortable pause.

"Heh, this is odd." Naruto said. "I thought you were going to be mad at me."

"Why?"

"With the kyuubi unleashed and all.. I don't know what to do."

"Nobody would know what to do."

"You're not mad?"

"Yes I am."

Naruto groaned, but let himself be pulled into a hug by Sasuke, burying his face in the jet black hair.

"But thats no news. I'm just pissed we couldnt do it the way we wanted."

"So you are not at me?" Naruto softly asked, hardly audible as his voice was muffled away in the thick hair.

"No, not you. I'm mad at the Kyuubi for being such a pain the ass."

Naruto chuckled.

"Well, at least you arent." He hinted at the previous night.

"Nice to know." Sasuke chuckled.

Naruto sighed and pulled away a bit, wanting to look at sasuke's face.

"So what are we going to do now?"

Sasuke looked to the side for a second, sighing, before looking back at naruto with a smirk plastered on his face.

"Make out some more."

"Oh please." Naruto slapped a hand over his eyes and laughed.

"Heh. Well, I suppose we go back to training. We're going to have to find Lee and make him beat the crap out of you to develop your own chakra again. And we are going to have to make Tsunade place a new seal on you I guess."

"Oh thats a nice prospect." Naruto peeked at Sasuke through his fingers.

"You have to." Sasuke gave a wicked grin, crossing his arms.

"Nice."

"Wuss."

"Shut up." Naruto pounced Sasuke's shoulder in a playful manner.

"Hey, you two."

Both men looked up at Tsunade standing at the top of the stairs, hands in her side and smirking as if she had a very good plan.

"Are you two finished? Naruto, come on, we have to put a new seal on you."

"Yeah, I'm coming." Naruto took a step in her direction before he was held back by sasuke gripping his hand, rubbing a thumb over the back of the tanned hand, a smile on his face.

Naruto smiled, touched. Luckily, even with all this shit, he still had sasuke backing him up. It was frightening how much Sasuke had changed over the days, but it felt good. Very good.

Confident by the small gesture, he followed Tsunade back into the large room to have new seals placed on him.


	25. 24 The beginning of the end

24. The beginning of the end.

Naruto rubbed his shoulders through his large black shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Sighing, he flinched as he could still feel the odd tingling feeling coming from his skin, as if there had been electricity surging through his skin leaving it numb and filled with tiny little stings. This seal was certainly more violent.. he thought. But this time it had been Tsunade doing it. She wasnt the most careful person when it came to her moves, everyone knew two years ago that bumping into her in the hallway could very well mean you shoulderblade being broken, let alone letting her slam two seals high up his arms with both hands, this time two years later and in her case, two years stronger too.

He let himself fall back and he looked up to the sky, the blue slowly being replaced by white clouds. He was bored out of his skull. He rolled to his side and back again, unable to find a comfortable position and it irked him to no end that there was absolutely nothing to do.

Naruto groaned loudly and plucked at one of his locks hanging in front of his eyes. Blasted Sasuke.. he thought.

"I'm going to discuss something with Shikamaru so stay here, don't start training, just relax and I'll be back as soon as I can." He had said.

Sasuke had left him all by himself and by now, almost six hours later, Naruto had started to beat himself up mentally for actually being so bored without the dark cold man beside him. What had he done before to get rid of boredom? Naruto sniffed. Well, he never really was bored actually.. Up till now, untill he arrived in Konoha, all he did was fight, either to survive or to train or to get something he needed in return for his services. He had always been running around, hiding and fighting or building a place where he could spend the night or maybe more if the spot was providing with enough food and shelter for a while.

Wasnt it always like that when you were alone you were always bored? He thought about it. Sure he was alone now, and bored more than he had been in two years, but he wasnt really alone. Was it normal then to be entertained by yourself and bored with people around you? He waved that away, of course not. But why then was he bored right now, alone in a town full of people, and why now of all times! He had hardly been bored before but this was driving him nuts. The weirdest thoughts and ideas bubbled up in his mind and he couldnt get out of the house or try new stuff out he had just thought up. Noo.. Sasuke had strictly told him to stay there and to wait with doing training. Sasuke this, Sasuke that.

Naruto sat up straight, scratching his head as he figured it out. Of course, as always, as usual, still now, the magic word was Sasuke. He hadnt been bored all those years because he still wanted to outdo him. He wasnt bored when he got here in fear of him finding out who he was, and the pursueing him and being accepted almost as fast as they both knew what had been starting to blossm between them. Sasuke had always been on his mind. And since yesterday, ever since that soul-searing kiss and that passionate night together, the guy had felt like a drug, like a dose of morfine flooding his mind and his heart.

Addicted.. to someone else.. Naruto sighed. Sasuke wasnt here and his body was feeling like it was having withdrawals. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see his face and in every whisper of the leaves outside he could hear his voice or the rustling of his clothes as if he walked by. On his lips was still his taste in his imagination and his warmth, his skin against Naruto's own skin was something so deep that he still wondered how it was possible his heart still accepted and processed that mind-blowing truckload of sensations that was sent through him each time they had kissed or hugged. It was only a day later, and it had felt like years and seconds in one flash, enough emotions and sensations to last a lifetime and Naruto smiled, happy to have gotten the chance to taste something so sweet and addicting and he knew he would forever be pursueing this same feeling.

Addicted. So addicted.. He sighed and smiled, closing his eyes, the thought rewinding and playing in his mind with every breath he took in and let out. Sasuke... you bastard.. you better come home quickly, he thought, feeling very selfish but who cared. They lived right now didn't they? He wanted to savour the moments and the days now before it was too late. Every shinobi lived under the constant threat of being killed someday, could be tomorrow, could be next week, nobody knew. It was better.. sometimes, to live by the moment instead of waiting in fear about what was to come.

"I see.."

"I know I'm asking a lot."

"Yeah.. quite.."

"Sorry."

"Are you sure you want this?"

"Thats not the point, can you do it?"

"Well yeah, its not that hard. But do you want it?"

"Do you want it?"

"Aw man.."

"Its up to you."

"Yeah. Hm. Okay, well I guess I can do it. There is no other choice is there?"

"Not really no."

"Man.. This is going to be painful."

"Yeah, very."

"Well.. whatever."

"Thanks."

"Whatever. ...Now what are we going to do?"

"Die.."

"Urgh, please no."

"We could. You could."

"Yeah, but it'll be worth it, I hope."

"If we do it right, yes."

"If.. Alright. Whatever. I'm leaving everything to you then. We'll see how it goes."

"Thank you."

"But don't think I'm gonna enjoy this."

"Hehe, I know you won't."

"Yeah."

"Good. The beginning of the end."

"Yes.. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Sure. Later."

"Yeah.. later.."

Naruto rolled to his left shoulder, leaning on the window sill. He sighed and then rolled back. Booored.

He had watched the sun slowly sink down behind the large green hills and forests in the distance and had stared at how the lively village, bustling and full of loud chatting and laughing, now sank back into a whisper, people retreating into their homes and the smell of cooking filled the air. Houses seemed to open their eyes as fires were lit and lights were turned on when the yellow and orange of the sky was once again replaced by blue, a deeper and darker one before it turned into pitch black with only a few sparks dotted on it.

All this time he had sitting in front of the window, staring outside over the fields where the fastest path to Shikamaru's house led and he expected to see a tall composed figure walk on it at any second.

He had seen a tall guy walking there, only to find out seconds later that it had been Kakashi walking back into the main village where he met up with Iruka, he noted, in front of the sweets store before leaving together talking loudly about.. nothing really. A more dark man had walked down it, but to his disappointment it had only proved to be Neji, dressed in his now usual dress of black with only a few cream-colored lines on his shirt. In the end Naruto had believed every man that walked there was Sasuke and time and time again he was proven wrong and another familiar or not familiar villager crossed it and walked by the Uchiha's house that was slowly starting to feel like a pleasant prison.

Sasuke's smell was everywhere. The dark masculine scent drenched every piece of cloth and the dark wood on the walls and the floors. Even the hardly touched shamisen in the corner, which Sasuke had told Naruto to play to have something to do, smelled like the Uchiha. It was a pleasant and comfortable smell, telling tales of hardship and rivalry and it brought back memories of fights together where afterwards he had chucked his clothes away since they just smelled of the younger boy after a rough wrestling match where he had tried to prove his superiority but as always had failed. Somehow the smell still carried that smell of defeat and it still reminded him that even now, years afterwards, the dark shinobi was still better than him. But this time, the smell of a warm sleeping body next to him, the scent also carried messages of mind-blowing memories and tastes.

Naruto rolled on his other shoulder again and stared at the ceiling, several cracks showing the age of the house. It had been an Uchiha residence for long and even in places he never expected it, like the tiny tiles in the bathroom, bore the crest of the Uchiha clan, a stylised fan. He had chuckled when he had found out earlier that day that even the little towels in the kitchen had the crest sewn onto them and it surprised him Sasuke wasnt wearing boxershorts with the same symbol on them or heck, even wear a tattoo on his back with it just to mark him as an Uchiha. In his boredom he even tried to find the little symbol in the cracks in the ceiling, satisfied for a few seconds with the little game he had invented to kill time, no matter how pointless it was.

Sasuke had told him to try the ancient shamisen that stood in a corner in the living room with, he had rolled his eyes in a 'figures' kind of way at it, a line of stylised fans on the rim in a lighter shade of wood. He had eyed the instrument for a little while, unsure wether it was safe to have a guy like him touch a valuable thing like that. He had run a finger over it and had retreated it almost instantly when he discovered the thick layer of dust covering it and he decided that moment that if it was valuable enough not to be touched or dusted in ages, it surely wasnt a good idea for him to try and play it. For all he knew he could snap some of the precious snares or break the large ivory plectrum that was used to play it. Sasuke had said it would calm him and keep him busy, but even Naruto knew that even if he was going to pick up the instrument it was going to take him months to produce even one pure note on the sophisticated instrument. Instead, he had returned to the hunting of Uchiha symbols in the strangest of places.

Out of pure boredom, he had even picked up a stray pencil and sharpened it and had drawn countless of Uchiha crests in the strangest of places. Even he realised he was going to far when he had started to carve the symbol out of a slice of bread for lunch to leave it for Sasuke to find.

What was taking him so long anyway..

He glanced at the clock behind him, telling him it was almost eleven in the evening and he groaned loudly. This waiting for ages was leading to nothing but utter boredom and he mentally cursed Sasuke for not allowing him to do training of any kind. He sighed, annoyed and slapped his hands on his knees. It wasnt looking like Sasuke would be coming home any second so training was no option whatsoever right now. He got up from his seat and closed the window before taking one last look out of the window to see if the boy was really not walking down the path. Path empty, his mind stated and he started to undress and in the meanwhile turning off the lights, leaving a trail of orange and black clothes behind.

He took another look through the window, house now all dark, together with many in the neighbourhood, and groaned as there still was no sign of the Uchiha coming home. Sliding underneath the covers he left his chest uncovered, letting the chilly summer night breeze blow over him and cool him down. Shame and fury had caused his face to heat up. He was furious on one side for Sasuke not sticking to his promise, although he hadnt said when he would be home and he was ashamed at the same time for making such a big fuss out of it. Sasuke was grown up enough to be able to take of himself and he knew he was sounding like a wife pissed off why her husband wasnt at home. Hmpf.., he thought, he was making no sense. He was a grown-up himself.

Naruto huffed loudly when he rolled over on his side to find a more comfortable spot to sleep, still muttering curses directed at Sasuke for being so bloody late.

Sasuke unlocked the door without making to much sound and pushed it open, finding the house already completely dark, knowing Naruto had probably gone to sleep already. His thoughts were confirmed when he sneaked into the bedroom finding a loudly snoring Naruto, bare shoulders showing two dark circular marks with red rims around them. A tossed-aside empty bottle lay near his head. Sasuke picked it up and sniffed it and recognised it as his most used ointment against any kind of burn, scar or shallow wound. The creamy liquid always smelled like rotten plants but it offered relief and with luck a flawlessly healed wound even if it had been a deep one.

He held the bottle upside down, finding it completely empty. He placed the bottle next to the door like a note to himself to buy a new one. Naruto must've used all of it during the course of the day to soothe the burning pain in his shoulders. If his own seal against Orochimaru had made even him scream out in pain, he wondered what kind of pain Naruto had had to endure when someone as skilled and strong as Tsunade placed seals as heavy as these ones on his shoulders. No wonder they had burned and no wonder Naruto had grown tired of it and had tried to dull it by using every single drop of the ointment.

Sasuke sniffed the air out of habit and rolled his eyes as he indeed caught a whiff of rotting plants coming from the tall muscular person sleeping near his feet and he decided it was probably not a good idea to curl up against the warm body after a long day's work like he had planned.

He slid under the covers but stopped every movement as Naruto shifted a bit with a deep sigh, obviously vast asleep, before laying himself down as well, his body tired from the long day.

Sasuke watched Naruto for a few minutes, watching the tanned chest go up and down with his breathing. The tangled spiky hair was a mess and the tanned face was littered with tiny scars he noticed. The six long scars were now as apparent as ever, but now that he had a chance to observe him from so close he found many very small lines and scratches all over his face. Sleep was taking over quickly now, body relaxing by the calming rythem sound of the other man's breathing, and Sasuke wondered how many scars he still had to see. Just before a dream started to set in a guilty feeling washed over his mind and heart, unabling him to sleep in a peaceful dream but instead bring him a disturbing painful dream and he knew just why that happened.

It couldnt be helped.

The clock beeped, it read 2 in the morning.

"Ahargh.." Naruto coughed loudly and groaned when he noticed the all-to-familiar taste of blood in his mouth. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked at it, confirming his thoughts that he had just gotten a split lip.

He didn't bother to get up and instead folded his knees in front of them and placing his hands on his legs and sighed, two fingers tweaking a blade of grass. It didn't take long before he heard footsteps come closer and a large shadow blacked out the sun. He didn't need to look up to know that Sasuke had walked over and was now making efforts to sit down next to him without causing himself to much pain, eventually resulting in a loud thud as he ignored the futile attempt and just dropped to the ground.

"We're getting nowhere." Naruto mumbled, slightly looking to the side seeing only a pair of bandages ankles looking uncomfortably thick and soon enough a long pale hand snaked around them unwrapping the bandage, revealing several bruises.

Sasuke rubbed his right ankle and hissed, taking off his shoe as well to relief the swollen foot of the pressure of the bruise.

"I know." He simply said in reply, now leaving his legs alone.

"Argh.. Why won't it work.." Naruto said.

They had been training for five days now and the only result they had gotten were more bruises and cuts all over them. The atmosphere had changed in the fighting. The first time he had fought Sasuke, even it was training, there had been severe anger from Naruto's side at Sasuke's taunts and pent-up fury over the past. It had been then that he had felt an overwhelming power surge through him and he felt like it was all his own. But no matter how much he tried to bring that anger back and make it work for him to release his own chakra, he just couldnt bring himself to hate Sasuke that much again. At first, he was amazed how much trouble he was having even laying a single hand on the younger man in combat and it had taken a great emotional deal out of him to hit him good and it had hurt him himself once he saw the bright red cut he had caused on the handsome pale face.

He sighed deeply again. He thought that being in love with Sasuke would help him overcome the kyuubi so he could stay in Konoha again and be himself next to the one he.. loved. He loved Sasuke, he told himself again. He loved the way the bastard still taunted him and could be sexy and dangerous in just one sentence. But it only made him crave the other man even more, and not fight him, as he hoped his natural habit of hating him for what he had done in the past would trigger the needed power.

Things had changed..

"You alright?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah." Naruto coughed and spat a mouthful of blood on the ground, his split lip refusing to stop bleeding. "You?"

"..Yeah.." Sasuke groaned, leaning backwards. He was sore, stiff and bruised all over. Even sealed Naruto packed a good punch. He had, contrary to Naruto, expected him to hold back at first but it had surprised him how Naruto's holding back still meant he had to be very careful not getting beaten up too much.

"Shoulders alright?"

"Burning like mad."

"Well thats at least good I guess.."

"Hm?"

"Proves they are fighting to hold back the kyuubi right?"

"Hm." Naruto looked at the twisted and broken blade of grass between his fingers. "I guess."

Sasuke fell silent too and looked at Naruto beside him. It had been a while since he had seen the young man so defeated emotionally, the tanned face bathed in a golden glow since the sun had started to sink and he realised another full day had passed. And again with the same result. Naruto's shoulders hurt, the seals were doing their work, but the blonde had been nowhere near the phenominal power he had had when he first released his own dormant power.

"Felt anything?"

"Nothing. Just rotten."

Sasuke chuckled.

"You're not the only one then. You got me good this time."

"I guess."

"Hmf.." He groaned as he pulled his leg up to his chest. "Havent been bruised like this in a while. I think you are growing stronger."

"Thats just the muscles."

"It is something.."

"Its not what I want!" Naruto yelled, slamming a fist into the ground. "Sorry." He groaned. "It's just that.. I can't get that mad at you anymore. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm holding back and its a diffirent kind of being held back than the seal does already and it pisses me off to no end. I just want to get this over with and live my own life instead of this pathetice life controlled by Tsunade's seals and the kyuubi trying to break out. All I do is getting beaten up, I'm beating you up, and nothing else happens!"

"Yeah well-"

"I've just had it! Fucking mess.." He sucked his lower lip finding the bleeding had finally stopped.

Sasuke sighed. He could understand why Naruto felt the way he felt now.

"Lets forget about fighting for today."

Naruto nodded slowly. He didn't feel one bit relieved that he was allowed to stop now, because he knew that tomorrow and the day after that and so on would be just the same as today. Another day full of pain, blood and breaking the face he had come to love seeing, especially when it was ignorant to its surroundings like when Sasuke was asleep. Naruto let himself relax by that thought, knowing this new anger would be waste right now, but maybe he could use it tomorrow but he wondered if it would ever be as strong as the hatred he had felt before. He doubted it.

"Hey."

"Hm?" He looked up.

"Were you listening?"

"Ah.. no. Sorry."

"Hn."

"What was it?"

"I said that you should go head on home and I'll be with you soon."

"You're not coming?" Naruto frowned. He had hoped to lure the dark shinobi into taking a shower with him and relieve him from this sensation of feeling helpless and powerless and replace it by the warm fuzzy feeling of curling up against a strong warm body and fall asleep and to escape from today's reality.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Well aren't you two cozy back here." A low irritated voice sounded behind them and they turned around. "I didn't expect you to be so weak that you didn't even spot me coming Naruto, Sasuke saw me coming a long time ago."

"..Shikamaru." Naruto growled. "don't you have anything else to do? I feel bad enough as it is."

"Yeah, it shows." He replied with a grin.

"Oh get off my back will you." Naruto waved him away. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Coming to steal Sasuke away for a bit."

Sasuke's heart jumped a bit in nervousity. This was it, there was no turning back now.

"What?" Naruto asked with a frown.

"We have another meeting for an upcoming mission and we need to discuss some things."

Naruto groaned loudly.

"Again?"

"Yeah, again. Important missions need extensive discussions you know."

Naruto sighed. Sasuke had been called over to the cynical shinobi's place almost every day now, to discuss a mission so secret Sasuke didn't tell him what it was about. Supposedly, he had told him, for savety. Naruto had felt hurt that Sasuke's, no, Shikamaru's team didn't trust him enough to tell him what it was all about but he understood there was a point in telling him nothing about it, just in case the seals would crack, the kyuubi would be released and the danger it imposed on the village. He didn't really believe one word of it, knowing that the seals would be powerful enough, but it was regulations, they ensured him.

Slowly Sasuke rose to his feet, patting the dust out of his pants.

"I'll see you later Naruto."

"Sure." He replied, uneasy with another meeting. Again.

"I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Whatever."

"I bought another bottle of that ointment you seem to be so fond of." Sasuke smirked. It had been the third bottle in a week. "Just don't rub it on when I'm about to come home. It makes you smell."

Naruto huffed and threatened to throw a sandal to the dark man.

"Like you smell so peachy in the morning."

"I always smell good."

"Only when you are in the shower!"

"Whoa whoa.. information overload guys!" Shikamaru groaned and slapped a hand over Naruto's mouth. "I did not want to know that." He hissed before removing his hand from the slightly pouting mouth.

Naruto opened his mouth to protest but closed it instead, he knew Sasuke didn't want many people to know about what was going on between them. Sure Shikamaru knew what was going on but Naruto knew well enough that some people werent really waiting for a full detailed homosexual report about the handsome Uchiha. Except for some girls in the village, he noted.

"Later." Shikamaru and Sasuke waved him a bye, leaving him with his throbbing jaw and sore muscles.

Naruto watched the two men walk off, Sasuke with a limp in his right leg where the large sprain had been. They were talking like they had much to discuss, accompanied by many gestures to imply importance to what he was saying by Shikamaru. It seemed everything Sasuke said had pleased him since whenever his answer had finished Shikamaru dropped his hands in defeat.

He got up to his feet, slowly, as every muscle protested against the quick movement. Time for a very hot bath, he thought, taking one last glance at the disappearing two men on the dirt track he had spied upon a few days ago. He blinked twice, thinking he had just imagined Sasuke's hand brush against shikamaru's. Must have been by chance. He was reading too much into every move the Uchiha made.

"Whatever.." He muttered again and stumbled to the nearby house, at least a bit pleased that Sasuke had been limping just as bad as he was now.

Deep inside he was once again disappointed. Sasuke would probably be late again tonight either and it felt ages ago they even shared a good long kiss. All he lately saw of the handsome dark man was when he woke up and then clobbering him in training and then he would either walk home with Naruto before leaving for Shikamaru or as it seemed today, to be picked up even by the lazy shinobi and Naruto wondered why he had gone to such lengths when Sasuke could just have walked over like usual. What had brought shikamaru to walk all the way over to the training field to pick up Sasuke?

He sighed, groaned at the torrent of thoughts and then ignored them all. He walked past the house, bought a large back of pink sweets and a bottle of iced tea and headed home again to draw himself a very hot bath, the time afterwards spent rubbing the smelly ointment all over him again and go to sleep. He didn't even bother to watch the dirt track anymore to see if Sasuke was coming home. He knew he would asleep when that happened, as usual, and that disturbed him.

Surely Sasuke wasn't.. avoiding him, was he..


	26. 25 Evening Talk

Chapter 25: Evening talk.

Naruto straightened out the folds in his shirt and sniffed it to make sure it could be worn still. In the past few days all he had done was fight and he had to admit, neither him nor Sasuke had been a person to do laundry often. Sasuke too had said he had been far to busy to do any laundry with Naruto's training and shikamaru's mission and to top that, he had far more clothes than Naruto, who had travelled around with two shirts and two pants. And shopping wasnt something they both enjoyed. Yeah, Naruto thought when he sniffed an oddly looking spot on his black shirt, he had to wash his clothes soon. Glad he was wearing black clothes.. stains hardly showed on the fabric, except for this strange white one. Naruto frowned wondering what it was and how it got there but he grossed himself out he ignored the stain and decided that the dry-cleaners would have to fix it for him.

He heard some soft shuffling of feet behind the door. He had knocked on it just a few seconds before and he was relieved to find someone home as the lock clicked and slid out of place and the door finally opened, the face of his old mentor appearing in front of it, hair ruffled.

"Ah.. Naruto." He said with a gentle smile on his face.

"Sensei."

"You don't have to call me that anymore you know." Iruka told him with a finger pointing as if he had just done a bad thing. Naruto shrugged it off, somewhere the kind somewhat shy man was always his sensei no matter how old or experienced he became.

"How is it going?" Iruka inquired, glancing backwards for a split-second, as if he had heard something in his house.

"Um.. yeah.." Naruto muttered. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah, sure, come on in."

Iruka pushed the door open to let Naruto in. Naruto entered the fairly small but cosy house. It was still the same as he remembered it, worn wooden floors, old crooked doors filled with schedules on either side of the corridor and a warm smell which he couldnt define other than that it was Iruka's filled his lungs. He breathed in deeply. It was still a comforting smell, like it was the only spot where he could be himself without teachers or villagers hating him and a place of refuge when Sasuke or anyone else had been pissing him off. Like a childhood home, Naruto thought with a smile on his face. A safe place.

Iruka beckoned him to follow him to the kitchen, pulling his pants up a bit, oblivious for the snickering Naruto. Apparently Iruka too hadnt been that careful with his appearance. In fact, the young man thought, he looked rather endearing. Like a worn-out teddy-bear that still smelled and felt so good after years of cuddling and love. And Iruka was loved, he knew that all too well.

"Want something to drink?" Iruka asked him, his head already sniffing around in his fridge to find anything good to drink.

Naruto nodded.

"What would you like.." Iruka rummaged in the fridge, sliding bottles and packages of food all over the place. "I have plain cold water, lemonade from Ino's shop.. Um.." Rumble, sift. "Wine.. some sake I think. I could also make you some coffee or tea if you like.." He popped his head out to look at Naruto for his answer.

"Lemonade will do fine sensei."

Iruka dove back into the fridge and Naruto heard the sound of various glass bottles coliding with eachother. If Iruka had been his father, he fantasized, he knew people wouldnt be much surprised where he had gotten his messy nature from..

"Alright.. I have chamomile lemon lemonade.. Heh that sounded funny. And mint and cumcumber juice.."

Naruto frowned and sniffed in disgust, that sure didnt sound very tasty..

"Think that's overdue though.. I don't think its supposed to look yellow. Hm, oh well. Then we have cranberry and elderflower.."

"That one!" Naruto hastily said, at least that was something he had been wanting to taste ever since he had heard a lot of girls talk about it in the village. And it was safe, in theory..

"That one.." Iruka fished the bottle out of the top shelf and closed the door, looking very pleased with himself. "You're lucky I just bought that one to try out this morning."

"Yeah been wondering what it taste like."

"Tsunade recommended it. She said it was good for your blatter and for a good deal of vitamins and stuff like that. She knows too much about things like that, I tell you.." Iruka babbled on.

"Yeah."

"But if you eat just enough fruit and the right herbs you shouldnt need anything like this right? Well maybe after a long days work maybe, and you never know of course, but still you shouldnt need it in theory. On the other hand if it tastes good why not right?" Iruka poured the pink liquid into two large glasses and put the bottle back into the fridge.

"Yeah.." Naruto felt exceptionally quiet compared to the talking Iruka. The chuunin never talked this much about such pointless things. It was a dead give-away he was nervous about something.

"So um.. want to sit outside? Its such a nice evening out."

"Sure."

"Alright. Come." Iruka nudged his head towards the two paper doors seperating them from the porch and the small garden behind the house. "Open them for me?" He asked. "Got my hands full."

"Oh sure, sorry."

"No worries." Iruka smiled and followed Naruto to the broad porch and sat down on the edge, followed by Naruto sitting next to him, his legs dangling down.

They sat there for a few minutes in silence, slowly sipping their drinks and commenting casually that it was good, or alright and that Iruka could taste the elderflower in it and that Naruto couldnt taste it at all but like it anyway.

Iruka rubbed his glass with his thumb, after another pause fell between them.

"So.." He finally began. "How is training going?"

Naruto sighed and leaned back, placing his empty glass beside him.

"Terrible."

"Oh.." Iruka said, abit of disappointment sounding in his soft voice. "Howcome?"

"Oh I don't know..." Naruto groaned.

"Is Sasuke no good?"

"He is good alright and beats me up pretty much every time."

"So he is not the problem."

"No. Well.. yeah maybe. Or no.. Agh, I don't know.."

"Why do you think he could be the problem?"

"Well you know.." He looked to the side, slightly nervous about the things he was about to say. "You know about us right?"

"Yeah."

"I mean.. us. Us. As in, we are together in a relationship and stuff.."

"Of course I know. I was there when Sasuke told right?"

"Right, of course. I forgot."

"Are you two having trouble? I mean.. its your first time with another man right?"

"Well um.. No that's not the problem. We are doing fine, I guess. Well, maybe that is the problem."

"Tell me then."

Naruto sighed. Talking about stuff like this still made him nervous and blush to no ends.

"Look, if you don't spill, I won't be able to help, right?"

Naruto nodded. Of course Iruka was right. He knew that too before the teacher had even opened his mouth to say it.

"You see.." He began, trying to find the words to tell him what he was suspecting in the least amount of sentences. "Remember the first break-through I had?"

"Of course.."

"That happened because Sasuke had taunted me so much I couldnt hold back anymore and felt power flow through me even though I was sealed."

"Yeah well, that was because the seals started to unravel with that anger."

"I know, but it was anger that triggered it."

"Like all the other times you needed immense power."

"Uhuh.. But I can't seem to get that much anger inside of me again. To be honest I'm just scared I guess.." He sighed and took the last sip from his glass before placing it down again. "I'm scared to hurt him, to hit and bruise his face and body."

"Do you love him?"

Naruto looked up at Iruka's blunt question. He fell silent, contemplating the answer to such an important question.

He remembered how thrilled he was every morning to find the handsome dark-haired man sleeping next to him, how awfully addicting his kisses and embrace was. How his voice alone could make his heart do strange gymnastic tricks in his chest. He had spent most of his childhood hating him of some sort. In fact he had looked up to him, to his skill and that lucky bloodline of his that had made the boy both unpredictable as he was strong. When he was away he had started to miss the scowl on his face and the regular challenge to become a better fighter himself and jealousy turned into something else. He remembered the first time he had seen Sasuke again and it had made his heart skip a beat. The boy Sasuke had been beautiful to look at, with his dark voice and pure black eyes and hair and a pale skin to contrast against those colors. The man Sasuke was trained, muscular and his face was far more angular and strong than it used to be. But the beauty from then was still a beauty, although the word handsome or hot were more appropiate now.

Naruto thought back to Sasuke's meetings with shikamaru and how he missed the dominant personality of him around the house. No matter what Sasuke did, Naruto felt right at home near the dark man and he realised he would always feel that way. Did he love him? He didnt like him being away, he liked to be with him even if they didnt say anything. He didnt want to spend his life alone again, not without someone who completed him so much.

He sighed, the words forming in his head and finally coming out of his mouth.

"Yes. I love him. More than anything else."

Iruka nodded and emptied his glass before sighing deeply, thinking.

"That's not good.." He murmured.

"But sensei!"

"Ah no! I don't mean that its not good for you two to love eachother but I meant um.. that it's not really good for defeating the kyuubi."

"No, I don't think so. Whenever I hurt Sasuke, I feel just as hurt."

"And thus it becomes impossible to fight all out, right?"

"Exactly."

"Haa... yare yare.." Iruka copied Kakashi's favorite words when he found himself in a tight spot. He scratched the back of his head, thinking hard to find a solution.

"Never thought being in love could have a downside.." Naruto chuckled in a sad manner.

"Oh you bet it has downsides. Loads.. There is always jealousy and fussing about regular things you shouldn't fuss about. For instance, Kakashi always drops his clothes where he is standing and then I have to do laundry all day long and man, we have some serious..." He blushed a bright shade of pink when he realised what he had just said.

Naruto chuckled, he had known all along the two were more intimate than just friends.

"Um.. I mean, when he comes over to sleep.. I mean.. because his own house is always a mess you know and I clean up.. or try to.. so as friends he stays over and.. urgh.." He chuckled as well when he saw the grin on Naruto's face, telling he knew all about it already and Iruka knew it was futile to protest or to make up excuses why Kakashi was always around him.

"I have yet to go through that but I bet we will do fine."

"Wait till his fangirls find out." Iruka smirked. "They'll want your head on a stake and burn it."

"I know." Naruto laughed. He could just imagine what would happen if they found out. Either he would be lynched or there would be a mass-suicide spree in the village. Girls.. strange creatures, he thought, although he could see why they liked him.

"Well, back to training. I guess you need a powerful trigger to make you release a great deal of pent up anger and hatred right?"

"I think so yeah. that's my power, my own power but its a lot harder to reach than the kyuubi's, so with the seals I'm having a far harder time then before tapping into it."

"that's why we have the seals."

"I know, of course. I'm supposed to tap my own power now." He stopped grinning and sighed. "But its no use if there is no trigger.."

"How about someone else to train against?"

Naruto sniffed in amusement.

"Like who?"

"Uh.. Neji?"

"I never hated neji as much as I hated Sasuke and I can hardly hate him now."

"I can see your point, yeah. How about someone like Lee? You wanted to beat him when you were kids."

"Yeah, for the exam. I wouldnt want to fight him now. He's far too gentle to make me hate him."

"True." Iruka thought for a few seconds. Naruto had always hated Sasuke when he was a kid, he could get along fine with the others. "Gaara? No, he might be too far away."

"Gaara is no option either. He's a good guy. Talked to him a year ago when I was in the desert."

"Huh? And he didnt report that?"

Naruto looked up, frowning.

"Why would he? He knew just as well as me that I had to do training and that I wasnt supposed to have contact with Konoha in the meanwhile. He stuck to that."

"Hmf.. would have been nice if we just knew you were alive."

"Yeah, but that wasnt according to the rules you set up right? Well.. enough of that. What do I do now sensei.." He whined. "I can't fight Sasuke as long as I'm still afraid to hurt him."

Iruka went silent for a few minutes, only to be broken by Naruto's request for more lemonade. When the blonde returned Iruka knew almost exactly what Naruto could do. The plan Kakashi had told him a few nights before but what he thought to be impossible or too insane to really use. But if it worked.. it could work if they were crazy enough to take that risk. He would have to talk to Kakashi about it, he decided, and preferably that night.

"Naruto.. listen." He began, thinking up a substitute answer as he went. "Keep on training with Sasuke."

"But that's almost pointless."

"No, I don't think so. You just need to aim your anger at something else. Why don't you use the anger you have in you because you can't reach the right treshold and trigger the power inside of you in your benefit? If you realise well enough that you're angry because you can't use your power then maybe you'll become angry enough to break the barrier and trigger the right amount of power."

"So you say I shouldnt focus my anger at Sasuke but at myself?"

"Yeah, basically. You can try it, right?"

"Yeah, I guess I could always try it."

"There is no deadline for when you should have reached that point. The only point you have is that you're the only one who will destroy those seals on your shoulders. Sure Tsunade could remove them anytime, but that's not the point is it?" Iruka smiled and patted him on the back.

Naruto nodded and smiled as well.

"You're right. I should just find a diffirent focal point. And then use it and defeat the kyuubi and become as strong as I want and all on my own."

"That's the spirit!" Iruka laughed, pulling Naruto into a friendly hug and after releasing him lifting his full glass to him.

"Kanpai, that you may overcome your problem and be free again."

"I toast to that! Kanpai!" Naruto smiled, feeling a whole lot better now. "Thanks sensei.."

"No problem, that's what I'm here for right?"

"Yup!"

Iruka knocked on Kakashi's door several streets away from his own house. The streets were already empty and the moon made the village bask in a bright blue glow.

"Yeah yeah.. hold on." The low voice of Kakashi said on the other side of the door and Iruka heard him unlock several locks on the door, making him chuckle. Why would a former Anbu and jounin at age 13 have so many locks? The man could sense even the smallest of mosquitos enter the house and kill it even before it had had the chance to think twice and get out again.

"Oh, Iruka-sensei.." He said. "I thought you didnt want to see me tonight."

"Change of plans. May I come in? Or am I disturbing you.." He asked, noticing Kakashi was only dressed in a dark pair of pants, chest bare and even the headband that covered the scar and the sharingan was gone.

"Ah.. sure, come in." Kakashi scratched behind his back, apparently tired but willing to hear what Iruka had to say.

"We need to talk." Iruka told him as he walked through the door and past Kakashi.

"Oh?"

"Yeah.."

Kakashi started to close the door, sensing serious business was coming up.

"That plan of yours.. Tell me about it."

Kakashi sighed as he closed the door.

"Sure." Was the last thing anyone outside could have heard.

"Sasuke!"

Naruto hit the door with his fists a couple more times.

"Oi!" He shouted, mentally cursing himself for being so stupid to forget the most important thing these days. "I forgot my keys! Sasuke!"

He waited a few seconds for the pale face to emerge through the curtains and curse at him for being late but nothing moved.

"Sasuke!" He shouted again, only to be met with more silence.

"Oi! Come on.."

Still no answer except for the soft rustling of the curtains on the second floor. Night had fallen faster than he thought and as the moon once again shone above giving a blue hue to the black curtains, Naruto knew that Sasuke had probably gone to sleep already. If he made a lot of noise, surely he would be able to wake the dark shinobi up right? But then again, if he did that, there was a big chance that Sasuke would just lock him in the stuffy guest room on the other side of the house as punishment he had woken him up. Naruto shook his head, that sure wasn't a good idea..

He looked around him for another way to get in. If only he could get onto the balcony so he could slip into the bedroom without a sound. He noticed the tree next to the house wasnt too slippery and the ivy around it should provide a reasonable grip, in theory.

Naruto coughed and stretched his sore muscles. He hadnt had the time to take a shower after today's training and he had gone to see Iruka first thing afterwards, when Sasuke had once again gone off to talk to Shikamaru. His muscles hadnt gotten any chance to be relaxed and smoothed in some hot water so by this time they were pretty stiff and sore after the fight.

He took a step back and then sprinted towards the tree, leaping up and pushing against the trunk of the tree he turned in mid-air and dove for the edge of the balcony. He barely gripped it and before his fingers had gotten a chance to slip on the old wooden ledge he had pulled himself up and he landed with a soft thud on the balcony.

Satisfied he had gotten up on his own he got to his feet and slid the curtain out of his way and walked into the dark room. It took him some time to adjust to the darkness, the moon had been bright enough to see everything clearly but with it gone it was hard to see anything.

While he was waiting for his eyes to adjust he took off his shirt and boots, hopping on one leg when one lace decided to be a pain and to only make the knot tighter when he pulled it.

"Dammit.." He hissed at the cursed lace when he finally yanked it out of its knot and he could take off the blasted shoe.

He froze when he heard the sheets moving and some soft mumbling.

"Hmmnn... hff...Naruto.."

Sasuke talked in his sleep, Naruto noticed with a grin spread on his face, how cute.

He got undressed as soon as he could and sank to his knees to look at the now visible pale handsome face of Sasuke, frozen in his sleep. He was tempted to stroke the soft cheeks but could just pull his hand back, afraid to wake him. He looked so peaceful when he was asleep and with all that had happened to him Naruto was happy to see him at peace in his sleep at least.

"Hrrm..." Sasuke mumbled again, accompanied by a turn so he could sleep on his left side instead of on his back like he had been. "Hn.. Naruto.."

Naruto slide beneath the covers and chuckled. It must be a pleasant dream too, he thought.

"Hm.. I'm sorry.." The sleeping man said, making naruto freeze in his movements once more. "Naruto.. Uhn.. I'm so sorry.."

Naruto looked at the sleeping face beside him, a strange feeling creeping over him. His face was twisted as if something terrible was happening. Naruto frowned and listened for more words but Sasuke had stopped talking and was now breathing slowly once again.

Sasuke was saying sorry to him? It was in his dream so maybe it was a nightmare, but still.. Sasuke who said sorry?

Naruto shook his head, ignoring the uncomfortable creeping feeling inside of him. It was a dream. For all he knew it could have been about when they were young, or it was a nightmare or something like that or about.. well.. who knew. Nothing to worry about, he told himself. Absolutely nothing to worry about. All is fine, it's just a dream. He too had dreamt he had hurt Sasuke in one way or another so no alarm. Nothing to worry about. Just go to sleep. Just... sleep..


	27. 26 Replace

26. Replace

Naruto woke up to the pleasant feeling of something warm and wet sliding over his lips. He slowly opened his eyes finding messy spikes right in front of him, accompanied by almodn-shaped eyes, closed and a warm soft hand was snaking its way up his arm to the back of his head. Naruto smiled and lifted his head a bit, eyes closing again and opening his mouth to allow Sasuke's tongue to slide in slowly in a deep kiss.

He exhaled when the butterflies in his stomach started to move up and explode in his mind at the sensation of Sasuke's taste and velvet tongue fighting with his own over dominance in his mouth. Sasuke moaned as Naruto started to fight back and slid his hand up to the back of his head, tangling his fingers in the unruly jet black hair and pulling him closer to make the kiss as deep as they could

Naruto felt himself harden and grinned into the kiss, finding Sasuke in the same position as the muscular body slid more in top of his, his own erection digging into his thigh.

"Hm.." He moaned, his other hand moving up the other man's thigh and squeezing the firm cheeks of his ass, massaging them with his strong fingers.

Sasuke broke the kiss and looked down, the dark eyes dilated and hazed, half asleep and yet already filled with a good dose of lust in them. He didn't wait much longer and went for the tanned skin on Naruto's neck, nibbling and kissing the smooth skin under his jaw and earlobe.

Naruto took that as an invitation to kiss the pale earlobes and sucking on it, making Sasuke stop for a few seconds before he continued on the neck. He never realised ears were Sasuke's soft spot, he thought with a chuckle and deciding to pay some more attention to them.

Sasuke however had other plans and moved down to suck on one of Naruto's pink nipples, earning him a moan in disappointment from Naruto, since now he couldnt reach the soft earlobes anymore, and pleasure as the sensitive nipple was rubbed and licked.

He arched back, both hand now buried in the dark hair to keep Sasuke to the good spot, only to follow along when the head moved to the other nipple.

"Hmm.. Sasuke.." He groaned, delighted he could wake up in such a wonderful way.

"Good morning.." Sasuke whispered, turning his attention to the other nipple once more.

"Oh yeah.. good morning.. good morning.." He hissed as Sasuke bit the pink flesh slightly.

Sasuke slid his hands down Naruto's chest and to his abdomen but before he reached where Naruto had wanted him, he abruptly stopped and he got to his feet. Naruto flinched, the comfortable sweet heat that had been surrounding him was gone and replaced by a chilly cold. He shivered and opened his eyes, groaning since the feeling was like cold water had been poured over him after having soaked in a hottub for hours.

"Ahn.. Sasuke.." He whined, sitting up and rubbing his head in disappointment, trying to wake up and ignore the thought that just now had just been a dream.

Sasuke's head popped up from around the corner of the bathroom, a purple toothbrush sticking out of his mouth.

Naruto frowned.

"Do I taste that bad?" He asked the handsome young man, only earning him a smirk in reply and some words impossible to hear with the white foam in his mouth.

"What was that?" Naruto asked him, getting up himself and stretching, looking as if he was trying to reach the ceiling.

Some gurgling and spitting sounds were heard followed by the shower being turned on, steam curling around the corners of the door as heat filled the small white room.

"I said, no, you are delicious actually." Sasuke told him from somewhere inside the bathroom. "Sorry." He added with an audible chuckle.

"Argh.." Naruto groaned, sifting through his discarded clothes. "Why did you stop then? That was the best wake-up call I have ever had you know.." He sniffed one of his shirts and looked at where Sasuke's voice came from when the answer came.

"I know.." Sasuke replied, walking from one side of the bathroom to the other where the shower was, completely naked and taking extra long steps to show off his perfectly shaped muscles, head bent a little to show a seductive smile to the awed Naruto, who had dropped the shirt instantly.

"Aw Sasuke.." He started to go to the bathroom as well and lock the pretty boy up in the shower all day long with himself inside the tiny cubicle too, of course.

Sasuke had predicted he would do that and held up the palm of his hand straight in front of Naruto's face, like a silent sign to stop whatever he was doing.

"Later." He said simply, winked and then vanished in the thick cloud of steam of the hot shower.

Naruto growled and went to gather his clothes. Blasted Sasuke, he thought with a smile plastered on his face. How he hated the seducing Sasuke.. especially if he couldnt do anything about it later. And he hated it even more when he had been tempted as much as Sasuke had done just before he left to take a shower. A shower for crying out loud..

He hugged himself tightly as if he was cold. Such a nice way to wake up and he had really hoped they could go all the way again.

"It's not fair.." He muttered like a small kid.

A few minutes later Sasuke emerged from the shower, finding a still pouting Naruto on a seat near the window.

"Lets see Tsunade later on alright?" Sasuke asked as he got dressed in his usual black clothes, leaving his chuunin jacket on a chair, not considering it necessary to wear it today.

"Uhn.." Naruto replied.

Both fell into a silence, not really uncomfortable but just that they didn't feel like talking untill Naruto opened his mouth in a deep sigh before speaking again.

"Did you notice?" He asked, staring out of the window still.

"Notice what?" Sasuke replied, brushing his hair absentmindedly.

"Leafs are starting to color, fall is starting.."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I don't know why I didn't notice before, but suddenly it struck me how red some of the leafs were starting to become and how many were on the ground already."

"Not many people care."

"No.. and why not I wonder sometimes. When I was alone.." He sighed.

"What?" Sasuke looked up, hopeful he could find out more about Naruto's past, still covered in shrouds to him.

"Well, when I was alone in the mountains, the fall always signaled danger in one way or another." He paused. "It meant the weather was going cold and that I had to make a more permanent shelter and if I did that I would expose myself more."

"Expose? If you built a good shelter then you would be more secured I think."

"No, it wasnt like that." He paused again, sliding a hand through his blonde hair apparently thinking hard. "Aw man.."

"Just tell me."

"But what if you-"

"Just be honest alright? I've seen enough bad things in my life and I don't think what you want to see is that horrible, right?"

"Maybe not.."

"Try it."

"Well it was like this. If I settled in a place for too long then I could be found more easily and that would be very dangerous, not to mention the biting cold of the mountains in winter. You know how winter in the mountains start in September and only ends in May, there is hardly anything like fall or spring. So when the leaves fall I had to hurry to make a solid shelter. Blizzards come quickly there."

"Why didn't you leave the mountains then?" Sasuke asked him and slid a chair in front of Naruto and flopped down on it, arms crossed as a silent request to 'fess up.

"Even more dangerous."

"Why?"

"Aw man.. I was wanted, alright? Happy now? I was wanted, hunted and searched by virtually every nin on the loose."

Sasuke's eyes widened in partial shock. The happy go-lucky Naruto wanted?

"You must have messed up pretty bad then when you were away."

"Yes.. and no.."

"What?"

Naruto sighed, wondering if he should tell Sasuke about what had happened, what he had done and what he had become. For a second he refused to do so and to keep things as they were but then again his memories were a part of him now and Sasuke had a right to know.. no matter how he would react.

"Alright." He cleared his throat. "Ever heard of Yato Ranaku?"

"Yeah, that was your name when you came here."

"No I mean, before I came here."

Sasuke thought for a few seconds before he discovered why the name had sounded so familiar when Naruto had introduced himself under that name in Konoha. He had heard it before and the longer he thought about it, the less the memory of it pleased him. As far as he could remember, the ninja called Yato had been an assassin, a very deadly and silent one who wore a name that perfectly described his way of moving and killing.

"Yes, I remember. Yato was a ruthless assassin we were all warned of a few years ago. Lee had a terrible fascination with the guy."

"You called me a myth since I wasnt able to do a Bunshin. I remember quite clear."

"You?"

"I didn't pick that name for no reason.." He sighed. "I really am Yato, no matter how much I hate it."

"I don't believe you.. You can't be like that guy, not in the least." Sasuke hissed. "You were never capable to kill, let alone build up a fearful reputation like the name Yato had."

Naruto exhaled and slapped his hands on his knees, groaning faintly.

"Would you just believe me? I'm not as worthless as you think I am."

Sasuke stopped his torrent and looked at the pain that shone so brightly in Naruto's face. He knew immediately this was serious, Naruto was trying to tell him something really important and the subject was delicate enough with the blonde shinobi that he had better shut up and hear him out.

Sasuke caressed Naruto's cheek and lifted his chin, planting a featherlight kiss on the full lips, resting his forehead against Naruto's.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

"Just listen.. please? I have to get tell it now or I'll shut up forever and lock it so far away nobody will ever know about it again."

Sasuke nodded and leaned back again, ready to immerge himself into Naruto's history and whatever pain it brought with it, willing to take over some of the pain that Naruto still felt after all this time.

"I am Yato.. I changed my name when I was in a desert village, a few months after I left. The sun had started to scar my skin and I had only recently started to develop the jutsu I wore when I came here. You know, to control the temperature of the air a few millimetres above my skin. I had spent too much time in the desert and I was exhausted when I reached the village. The kyuubi had given me enough power to keep on going but after two weeks without water we were both so drained we had to find water. And fast."

Sasuke nodded, allowing Naruto to continue his story.

"But we never expected water to be that expensive in that village. Now that I think back to it I can easily see why, water is precious in a country that only consists of mere sand, and water is buried deep, very deep, in the ground. I had to find money to pay for it, but I had used everything up in the months prior to our arrival at.. heh.. so stupid.. at a fair where they sold some wicked masks." He chuckled, shaking his head at his stupidity at that time.

"Some guy saw me throw a fight with the owner of a store that sold water. Heh, I was so angry he wouldnt give me even one glass of water for free.. Anyway, the guy asked me if I was a ninja and I said that I was, but that I was a missing nin, having run away from my village and I never told him where I came from. He told me he had a job for me, seeing how strong I was and that he would pay me for it, enough to buy enough water for weeks.  
I must have been crazy with dehydration..

I accepted it, as long as I could get water. I had to beat some guy up for him because he had stolen money. So I went over and questioned the guy, he denied everything and showed me the money he had been saving, or so he said. He refused to give it to me so I beat him up.. bad.. and took the money back to my employer who paid me a huge amount of money. I was exstatic. I had helped a man getting his money returned, I had earned a 'finders fee' and I could buy all the water in the world.

If only things worked that easily.. The next day the town was buzzing that the mayor had been beaten up and robbed. I went to get an explanation from the guy who hired me, feeling incredibly stupid to have failed to get proper information, and of course, I couldnt find the guy anywhere. I had no name to ask for, just 'the guy who hired me' and he was gone with all the money. I was sensible enough to use a cover name because well.. I didn't want people to think 'Oh, there is Uzumaki Naruto again.' and blame Konoha for what I did. Who knows, I was pretty notorious at the time."

Naruto paused and picked up a leaf that had fallen on the window ledge.

"That's how it started. I had to do more jobs sometimes to get money and pay for a certain kind of medicin, or water, or food or new shoes when mine were thrashed.."

"That's not that bad.." Sasuke softly said.

"That's what you think."

"Hm?"

"I'm not done yet.."

"Alright. Keep talking, I'll go get us something to drink alright?"

"Okay."

Sasuke got up from his chair and walked to his kitchen but turned around just before he reached the fridge.

"Keep talking." He shouted when he was out of sight. "I can hear you fine."

"Alright." Naruto mumbled, taking a deep breath.

"One day I was in the mountains and I had built up a pretty heavy reputation for being very swift and silent when I had to ambush someone. I don't know, but I was always refused when I wanted to do a good job, I'm sure I didn't look very loyal to normal people.. my hair a mess and my skin scarred and tanned, so I always got asked by, oh.. who knows.. I never knew names or residences.. It never went directly and I only did it when I needed the money real bad. People started to recognise the guy called Yato and I was shunned by various villages and had to resort to hiding in the mountains untill.. Well one day.. Hm.." He hesitated.

Sasuke looked around the corner and found Naruto with his head leaning on his fists, his mind off somewhere far away and his face twisted in a painful frown. He quickly poured the glasses full with orange juice and without bothering to put the jug back into the fridge, he hurried back to the bedroom and he placed the large glass in front of Naruto, who didn't look up.

After a while, Naruto's blue eyes swiveled to outside again and Sasuke followed his gaze, tracing a fallen leaf after another.

"One day.." Naruto whispered. "I was asked to kill a village leader."

A few minutes passed. Sasuke felt tempted to ask him why, what he had done, or what had happened, but he decided to leave it till Naruto continued. If he did. Oh, he would.

"I was sick at the time, I remember having a terrible fever that wouldnt go down. I can't remember a lot afterwards. Just a huge fight and my arm was smashed by an iron pipe, shattering it. I was furious and wanted it to be over and my mind went blank. All I remember of it afterwards is blood. So.. much.. blood. My god Sasuke, so much blood. I lost my kunai and I found it in the throat of a young man in a corner, his arms broken off. I had gone with a group of other nins, four of us in all.. I remember the blood.. " He lowered his voice to a mere whisper. "So much blood.. everywhere. I had killed them all. All of them. I slit their throats and carved into their chests. I remember one of the nins laughing loudly and then everything went black. A terrible dark red black and I wished I never woke up again after what I had done."

Sasuke had dropped his glass and stared at Naruto, whose eyes had slowly started to fill with tears untill one flowed down his cheek and Naruto didn't bother to wipe it away and Sasuke wondered if he had noticed it at all.

"...I woke up. It was night. I couldnt see a thing. I could only feel cold torn-up flesh around me and slippery cold blood. I smelled blood. It was everywhere. My hands, my face, my clothes, everything was sticky with blood and I panicked. Had to get out of there as soon as I could and I found myself all alone. My kunai's were gone and all I had was my konoha headband that I had sown into my jacket and Tsunade's necklace twisted as a lace in my shoe. My money, my kunai, all of my few possessions were gone and in the distance I could hear the dogs bark and the voices of men. I knew they had betrayed me and I had to get out of there as soon as possible. I don't remember much after that, just this terrifying feeling of being chased by dogs with blood all over me and snow everywhere. My head hurt and my arm was shattered, I had to call out the kyuubi to help me get power to adjust my temperature and change my appearance and to run as fast as I could. I don't remember how far or how long I must have run, but it felt like days. Everything was cold and wet. I ended up in a cave very far away and stayed there for two weeks, trying to get the kyuubi to heal me, but it didn't work. I lost my fever partially and I got out at night to find berries and I lived off that."

Naruto shivered as if he felt the cold of that night all over again, tears streaming down his face now but he didn't blink even once, lost in his memory, staring at something unknown in the distance.

"... I'll never forget the pure hatred I felt for myself. This disgusting cursed body, covered in blood and always cold. I wanted to die sometimes, but I never did. The blood covered my clothes and at a point I ripped them off and threw them out of the cave but the bitter cold made me pull them on again. The only way to get rid of it was to find as many berries I could, buried deep beneath the snow and crush them and dye my clothes with them so they would be a purple instead of the rusty color of blood. I never got rid of the smell of the blood.. I still smell it sometimes and I don't think I'll ever lose it.

And then I had to get out and move on. I walked and walked with crudely made blades of flint and ran into a group of bandits. I was sick, the fever still hadnt gone and the wound on my arm was still open and the leaves I put on it couldnt close the wound at all. It didn't bleed or get infected, but I was too weak to have my body heal it naturally, it was too severe. The bandits gave me some food and when I told them my name they welcomed me amongst them and even gave me some of their loot, some old clothes and I could finally burn the blood-stained ones I had. My name was enough to make them respect me, or rather, my reputation. And we hunted, and I killed again and again, numb as I was and I felt like having lost the one called Naruto forever. I can never go back to who I was. I became ruthless and killed without remorse. that's when my name grew even more notorious and I became the one called Yato completely, killing without a sound. But I could only hold out so long, my arm was becoming more painful every day and I knew I had to get it treated. But Yato would never be treated. Everyone feared me. And when one bandit dared to rob me while I was sleeping I slid his throat and left the gang. I knew I was close to Konoha.

I wondered around the forest for a few days before I gave up and broke my promise and I sneaked into the village. Kakashi found me before I found him.. He knew everything as soon as I told you my name and they still let me stay.. I couldn't tell them about the kyuubi.. After all I did, after all I killed... Uhn...Uhuhn.. "

Naruto bent over, face buried in the hands on his kness when he finally gave in to his tears and he started to cry relentlessly.

Sasuke dropped to his knees and pulled Naruto into a hug, crushing him as close as he could against him.

"I killed so many people Sasuke.." He whispered through his sobs. "So many people.. Innocent, guilty, I don't remember.. I killed so many people.."

"Shh..." Sasuke patted him on the back softly, burying his nose into the thick blonde locks of Naruto. "It's alright.."

"It will never be alright... Huhn.. I.. I died that day.. I killed those men.." He sniffed loudly and gripped the black fabric of Sasuke tight, never wanting to let go. "I'm not Naruto anymore.."

"You're still Naruto.. You'll always be Naruto.." Sasuke hushed in a whisper, the intense pain of his lover now pouring into his heart when reality hit him hard. He pulled him even closer.

"Naruto is dead.. I still smell their blood.. oh god.. all that blood.. I should have died instead.."

Sasuke was hit by the severe grief and sorrow in his voice and he felt his own eyes moisten as tears made their way to his eyes. He could feel the pain Naruto had but he knew he would never know the real pain and it struck him hard that this pain was already unbearable, to hear his loved one talk in such a manner and to have gone through such a horrible thing, and he knew he could never even fathom the real pain Naruto was in. Not if the pain he felt was already so strong it overwhelmed all his senses.

"They.. shouldnt have died. I wished they had taken me.." Naruto continued. "I still wish.."

"Don't say that.. Please.. don't say that." Sasuke told him.

"But-"

"Listen to me." Sasuke pushed Naruto away for a moment to look deep into the hazed blue eyes. "What you did.. What happened.. every shinobi would have done the same. You needed to survive."

"Listen!" Naruto shouted. "I killed! I shouldnt have killed! Nobody should kill! Ever!"

Sasuke chuckled even though tears welled up in the corner of his eyes.

"Hear that? that's Naruto.. Naruto never wanted to kill, but you had to. Like every other jounin that was caught, like every.. Anbu.. Nobody blames you, Naruto. You are still Naruto. Please.. believe me when I tell you this, you are still the same." He wiped a strand of bright blond hair out of Naruto's face. "You are still the same cheery obnoxious loud and positive boy I grew to love all those years ago. The only diffirence is you grew up, things happened to you. I stayed the same boring person I was then.. But I got you back now and you make me burn with a fire I have never felt before and that's what makes you Naruto. Not what you did in the past, not what will happen in the future, but who you are now. And now you are here, with me and I need you with me."

"...Sasuke.."

"Please, don't ever talk about wanting to die instead again." A single tear flowed down his cheek and his voice sounded forced as if he was having difficulties holding back. "I need you, now, who you are now. Naruto.."

Naruto crushed him in a tight hug, making Sasuke gasp for air.

"Stay like this, with me.." He whispered.

His whole soul screamed out for the warmth Sasuke was giving him in word and body. He wanted to soak it up and seal it into his memory and replace the cold that had been flowing through his veins for so long. He needed to replace the white of the snow by the soft white of Sasuke's skin, the blood that still seemed to linger on his hands by Sasuke's smell and the pain in his mind craved the deep voice of Sasuke to soothe it, to make the pain go away and replace it with a warmth that he could only get from the one he loved.

Naruto had started to cry again, pouring out all of his pain in a long wail that he had held back far too long. He needed Sasuke beside him now, covering him with his whole being as he opened up and bared his soul. He threw out all his feelings, sometimes shouting into nothingness and then whispering against the soft skin of Sasuke's shoulder. He slammed into the ground with his fist and bruised his fingers, only to have them kissed by the dark shinobi, like a father that kissed his hurt son's hands better. He went silent and had Sasuke talk to him, comforting him and taking away his doubts and his pain by every word the younger man said to him. Sometimes he talked and talked, about minor things, about the gruesome things that still haunted him at night. He sometimes just cried and Sasuke cried with him, taking over some of the deep hurt on his soul and as time went by and more leaves fell down, sometimes blowing into the room, Naruto slowly felt the ice on his being melt away.

In the end they both just breathed, buried in eachothers arms. Just breathing, just feeling alive and feeling the other mans chest rise and fall in an everlasting rythem as old as time.


End file.
